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The Big One

Mark five important days on your calendar if you already haven’t.

Mark five important days on your calendar if you already haven’t. From March 22 to 26, the biggest heavy equipment, construction and road building show on Earth – CONEXPO-CON/AGG – is being held in Las Vegas. Held every three years, CONEXPO showcases the latest equipment, products, services and technologies. There will be over 2,000 exhibitors organized into product concentration areas across 2.2 million net square feet of exhibits, making it easy for visitors to locate venders of interest.

Show organizers say there will be over 2,000 exhibitors and they expect more than 120,000 visitors.

Attendee registration is tracking to exceed 120,000 registrants, and the show is on track to be the second largest ever – and above the trend for growth related to the industry. It will be down a bit from the 2008 show’s record numbers,” says Megan Tanel, CONEXPO organizer and vice president of exhibitions and events for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “That show was held before the industry was in the midst of this past recession.”

First and foremost, attendees come to this show to see ‘what’s new’ in the industry, says Tanel. “There will be more than 1,000 new and exciting products or technologies showcased, and exhibitors are flagging new products on the CONEXPO website in advance of the show,” she notes. Attendees can also count on finding the technical experts they need at exhibitor booths.  “As well, exhibitors are highlighting their technical experts online, so that attendees can engage with them prior to the show,” explains Tanel.

This year, co-locating with CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the ICON Expo (International Concrete Exposition), further combining additional industry-run events under one roof.   (Co-locating with CONEXPO-CON/AGG since 2002 is the IFPE International Fluid Power Exposition). “We are also providing easier navigation of the show floor with a smart phone mobile application for the convenience of attendees this year,” says Tanel.

This year’s show will also have an expanded focus on education and professional development. “CONEXPO is known as the gathering for worldwide construction and construction materials industries, and in conjunction with the show, there will also be hundreds of industry meetings, including annual conventions of industry associations,” says Tanel. “In addition, we’ll have over 125 seminars emphasizing industry issues and trends, management and applied technology plus equipment manager exams, crane operator certification programs and other industry programs.”

The Las Vegas show provides participants with a look at what's new in equipment and services and offers educational opportunities.

There will be an expanded Lift Safety Zone which will feature expert advice on safe set up and operation of aerials and cranes. “We’ll have dynamic demonstrations and the latest in simulator technology that will show you how to cope with difficult ground conditions,” says Tanel. Expert representatives from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators, the International Powered Access Federation, and the Crane Certification Association of America will be on hand to answer questions.

 Among the large number of exhibitors will be Derrick Corp, a producer of fine screening and separation technologies based in Buffalo, NY. “We are very excited to be displaying the Derrick DE7200 Centrifuge at CONEXPO,” says Sales Manager Don Ruppert. “This unit eliminates the use of costly settling ponds used by aggregate wash plants, and is truly the most advanced technology available today for this duty. This unit makes the belt press and plate n frame press obsolete.”

McLanahan will be displaying a newly designed Dewatering Screen used in its ‘Ultra’ range of Sand Plants (as installed in a number of Canadian facilities). The Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of mineral and aggregate processing systems will also have a pilot-sized plant on hand, in a set-up typical of Industrial and Frac Sand processing, as well as the new McLanahan/Tongiani Recessed Plate Filter Press.  “CONEXPO is a one-time opportunity to meet with our OEM Sales, Engineering and Customer Service personnel to discuss existing and proposed plant and equipment, including operation and maintenance issues,” says John Best, Division Manager for Aggregate Processing. “Booth attendees can expect the highest level of expertise and decision making at this one event. We will also have a daily giveaway and grand prize for producer attendees.” Best adds that their 2500 square foot booth will also offer several places to sit and relax.

HAZEMAG, a maker of aggregate and mineral processing equipment in Pennsylvania, will be displaying a secondary impact crusher fitted with the company’s latest generation of its ‘HAZtronic Automated Control Technology.’ “This technology increases the performance and efficiency of the machine while greatly reducing maintenance costs and downtime,” says spokesperson Jeff Sikora. Advantages include excellent product size control, consistent product grading and user- friendly touch screen control functions. HAZEMAG will also be introducing its new, updated line of wobbler feeders, re-designed to offer better reliability and performance. “They are backed by an extensive history of application success, including the recent commissioning of a 2,600 ton/hour wobber feeder in the world’s most modern cement plant in Ste. Genevieve, MO,” says Sikora.

There will be multiple exciting demonstrations at the booth of Polydeck Screen Corporation, a manufacturer of modular synthetic screen media based in South Carolina. “We’ll have five demonstration stations of our technology as well as a hands-on opportunity for visitors to take out and insert screen panels in our innovative PipeTop II™ frame system to appreciate its tremendous versatility,” says Polydeck Marketing Manager Dennis Zeiger. Their Maxi demo will show how the company’s Maxi screen panel design provides open area equal to or greater than that provided by wire cloth. “Historically, one of the hesitations when making the decision to switch from wire cloth to synthetic media was open area, and this demo shows that our Maxi design can provide equal volume in tons per hour with greater wear life,” says Zeiger. A demonstration of their Flexi design will display its extreme effectiveness against blinding, and a demo of their dewatering screen panels will showcase panels with openings as small as 0.1 mm. A demo of their VR design will showcase the technology’s effectiveness against plugging, and the last station will demonstrate some of the advantages of Polydeck’s injection-molding production process. “Injection molding allows us to integrate a wide range of surface features such as dams or skid bars directly into our screen panels, which means greater variety in our design options and stronger, one-piece panels,” says Zeiger. “All of this is part of the most comprehensive guarantee in the industry. We call it “Performance. Guaranteed!” and we‘ll be explaining it in detail in our booth.”

At ADM’s booth (Asphalt Drum Mixers, which makes asphalt plants and components), the Indiana-based company will highlight their Milemaker plant, a series which is a leading workhorse in asphalt production. “With its dual drum counter flow design, the Milemaker offers the highest level of dependability and performance for all day, every day operation at an affordable price,” says spokesperson Steve Shawd. “Recycle and warm mix are playing larger rolls than ever before. The Milemaker can effectively run high percentages of recycle without loss of mix quality and ADM’s Warm Mix System can be a valuable addition to any of our plants.”

In addition, ADM will display its SPL110-2B plant. “The SPLTM Series sets the international industry standard for small, portable or stationary systems,” says Shawd. “Sizes range from 60 to 160 tons per hour.”  In its basic configuration, the SPLTM trailers on a single frame and combines all components for asphalt production: drying/mixing drum, wetwash, split cold feed bins, and surge system. Other configurations include two split cold feed bins, separate individual bins, baghouse, self-erect silo and many other options to suit a contractor’s specific requirements.

Liebherr, with US head offices in Virginia, will be exhibiting many new products in the earthmoving and crane sectors. “We’ll be introducing the new ‘6 Series’ crawler excavators with the R926 Advanced,” says Sales Manager Tim Doucette, “as well as the new L550 Industrial Lift Arms Wheel Loader and the new series of LH120 material handlers.” Liebherr will also introduce two new models of tower cranes, the fast-erecting 81 K and the ‘flat-top’ 285EC-B, and the LTR1060 and LRH 100. In addition, the company will have two demonstrations for visitors , including the Likufix quick coupler system.

“The amount of products and technology that will be on display at CONEXPO will be nothing short of outstanding,” concludes HAZEMAG’s Sikora. “Needless to say, these are unique and difficult times for our industry. Although some will say that the timing of CONEXPO could not be worse, we believe that the timing could not be better. A show like this offers an excellent opportunity to meet some of the very best that our industry has to offer. CONEXPO is a great opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to this industry, and we will use this show to build the foundation for a stronger future.”

With 2000 exhibitors on hand at the show, we can’t cover them all, but here’s a sampling of what you will find at the event:

Craig Manufacturing Ltd.
Craig will introduce its new Commander plows, targeted towards the contractors working in medium duty conditions or those on a budget. The Commanders are available in two sizes (750 and 1000) for exceptional versatility on wheel loaders, backhoes or skidsteers.

Bergkamp Inc.
Bergkamp Inc. will display its new Mobile Stockpile at CONEXPO, a fully mobile material transfer and storage trailer that dramatically increases paving time and eliminates the possibility of truck overweight citations. Bergkamp will display two other pieces of equipment that can work with the Mobile Stockpile to complete the slurry seal and/or micro surfacing process: the M310 truck-mounted slurry seal and micro surfacing paver and the Variable Width Spreader Box.

BMG
Sales development, marketing and research firm BMG (formerly the Barlow Marketing Group) will officially launch its new ‘BMG Green’ sustainable and environmentally-focused division at the show. BMG will be celebrating 20 years of helping drive the growth of more than 75 manufacturers and service organizations in the construction and related industries through the use of its ‘Six Critical Components To Growth.’

Caterpillar
Caterpillar will display its new Cat® M Series 2 Motor Graders at CONEXPO. This series includes the new 140M2 and 160M2 models, along with their all-wheel-drive counterparts, the 140M2 AWD and 160M2 AWD, which are all equipped with fuel-efficient engines meeting Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB emissions standards. These Graders also deliver lower operating costs and enhanced productivity, operator convenience and serviceability. They are designed for a broad range of tasks, including heavy blade work, road maintenance, ripping and precision-finishing applications.

E-Z Drill
E-Z Drill will introduce the Model 240B ‘combo’ drill system, a versatile machine designed for straight-line drilling on a level subgrade. The drills are completely pneumatic and can easily convert to a core drill to handle both rock drilling and core
drilling applications.

FL Smidth Pekin
The versatile 500 hp Raptor® XL500 Cone Crusher from FLSmidth Pekin will also be on hand at CONEXPO. Visitors will see how it provides excellent secondary crushing capabilities due to its large feed opening, high-pivot-point crushing action and wide stroke. The XL500 can accept larger feed, while producing more material of desired cubicity and gradation than its competitors with less throw or similar head diameter.

HCSS
Construction software developer HCSS will demonstrate its products that help contractors ‘bid more and run leaner.’ HCSS invites CONEXPO visitors to experience the company’s fully integrated trucking solution that incorporates HeavyJob® , The Dispatcher™ Resource Management Software, VECTR GPS and RFID technology. HCSS will display also its popular HeavyBid Estimating Software, HeavyJob Job Management Software and its new construction safety application.

Hella
Hella will show off its new LED Work Lamps, equipped with six high-performance, long lasting LED’s (6500°K) that deliver white light output of 850 lumens while consuming only 18 watts. They feature robust aluminum die-cast housing, stainless steel bracket, a free-form reflector that provides consistent close-range illumination, and a lamp lifespan 130 times that of halogens.

Hyster
Leading worldwide lift truck designer and manufacturer Hyster Company will showcase its H190-360HD­­­­­2 heavy duty pneumatic lift truck series at CONEXPO. With lifting capacities of 19,000 to 36,000 lbs, these trucks also feature a standard low-emission Cummins QSB 6.7 Tier 3 diesel engine, the Hyster® three-speed autoshift transmission, as well as the Load Sensing Hydraulic System, which dramatically reduces fuel consumption by optimizing hydraulic flow.

JW Jones
Visitors to the JW Jones Company booth will see how producers from around the world have worked with them to assemble the right mix of refurbished, new, used and customized aggregate processing equipment to meet their production goals within budget. The
company also provides spare parts for all brands of aggregate machinery and can design and deliver a competitively-priced spare parts package to match nearly any operation.

Linatex® Dewatering Screens
Designed for maximum fines recovery, increased load capacity and the lowest cost of ownership, the Linatex® rubber products’ dewatering screen range is engineered for heavy-duty applications in the sand and aggregate, and mining and minerals processing industries. Featuring a curved, sieve-like feed section and an upward inclination of the main deck, allows for increased dewatering capacity. The use of centrifugal force allows a larger total screening area without increasing the size of the machine, which facilitates using smaller units and reducing investment costs. All units are supported by the Linatex® rubber products range of screen media, formerly known as Durex screen media. For more information call 1-800-826-6931 or visit our website at www.weirminerals.com   Make plans to visit us at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 Weir Minerals Booth #6881.

Luff Industries
Luff Industries Ltd. will be promoting their quality conveyor components. These include idlers with patented polymer endcaps and pulleys with an industry-leading rim thickness. Recognized for innovative products, quick turnaround times and industry-leading warranties, Luff conveyor components can be found in a variety of material handling applications.

Mettler Toledo
Scale manufacturer Mettler Toledo will introduce the IND9U scale, which allows weighing of vehicles and capturing of information 24-7, without a scale operator. The system is highly configurable, and is available with a METTLER TOLEDO scale terminal.
CONEXPO visitors will also get to see the company’s new VTC221 (concrete deck) and VTS231 (steel deck) vehicle scales, as well as the new POWERCELL PDX load cell.

Morbark Inc.
Morbark Inc., a leader in grinding and chipping equipment, will showcase their “World of Opportunities” exhibit, giving attendees a chance to explore ways to expand and enhance their businesses. There will be in-depth demonstration focused on wood waste processing, shingle grinding and more. Equipment on display will include the Morbark 40/36 WCL Track Drum Chipper, the 4600XL Track and 3800XL Wood Hogs and the Beever M20R Forestry Brush Chipper.

Paladin Construction
Paladin Construction Group, a leading manufacturer of couplers and attachments, will demonstrate how their ‘CustomWorks’ division can modify equipment at their custom facility or ship the necessary parts and kits directly – all in order for customers to have cost-effective performance requirements for extreme applications. Attendees will also see existing and new equipment from all Paladin Brand companies – Bradco, CP, FFC, Harley, JRB, McMillen and Sweepster.

Powerscreen
Powerscreen will be exhibiting their XH500 Horizontal Shaft Impactor crusher, which represents the latest generation of highly versatile track mobile crusher. The Powerscreen® XH320SR will also be on hand, designed to excel in the toughest conditions in recycling, demolition and quarrying. The XA400S will also be demonstrated, a high-performance primary jaw crushing plant, as well as the new Warrior 2400, capable of handling larger feed sizes for large-scale operators.

Roadtec
Roadtec will be introducing their new SX-5 stabilizer, which features a 540 hp engine, a 96” wide drum and a weight less than 60,000 lbs. The stabilizer/reclaimer is capable of a true cutting depth of 18” (46 cm). Water and emulsion systems, enclosed operator cab, and many other options are available. Roadtec will also unveil its new Roadtec FM-85 broom, E-series Shuttle Buggy material transfer vehicle and demonstrate its remote machine monitoring/diagnostic software.

Subaru
Subaru’s new line of SGX Generators will be on hand at CONEXPO, offering high quality features, durable construction and technologically-advanced Subaru EX overhead cam engines, making them reliable, rugged and powerful. The commercial generators are available in three models to meet specific needs.

Telsmith
Telsmith, Inc. will introduce their new H3244 Hydra-Jaw, the largest model yet within the Telsmith Hydra-Jaw™ crusher series. The H3244 is designed to accept larger feed in hard rock quarry and sand and gravel applications, and can be mounted on portable plants or modular fixed structures. Telsmith’s new Tel-Trax Model TC52SBS will also be at the show,  a higher capacity track-mounted cone crushing plant suited to work in conjunction with larger primary track plants.

Terex Minerals
Terex® Minerals Processing Systems will be displaying four new pieces of equipment at CONEXPO, including their new Cedarapids CRC380HLS Portable Crushing and Screening Plant with patent pending High Lift Screen System. They will also have their new Cedarapids JS4552 Jaw Crusher on hand, and the new Cedarapids MVP450X Cone Crusher with numerous enhancements that increase the machine’s productivity. Also new is their Terex® Simplicity TXS Incline Screen. 

US Radar
US Radar will showcase The Seeker SPR, an easy-to-operate, sub-surface penetrating radar system. Featuring a technologically-advanced, yet simple touch screen operating system as well as a variety of antenna frequency options, The Seeker’s imaging system is portable, user-friendly, and able to infiltrate soil, clay, concrete, brick and more.

W.S. Tyler
W.S. Tyler will hold the North American launch of the new Haver Pelletizing Disc, which converts fines into marketable pelletized product. Other new products include the Haver Hydro-Clean™, a high-pressure washing unit that successfully cleans heavy clay-contaminated material with much less water than standard screws and log washers, and W.S Tyler’s Computerized Particle Analysis System, which analyzes particles as small as 10 microns up to ten times faster than traditional sieve analysis methods.

“CONEXPO-CON/AGG is an industry-run event and it will be the industry’s international gathering place in 2011 for top-quality education, networking and access to the newest technologies and leading companies,” Tanel says. “See you there.”