Indianapolis, Indiana (Feb. 14, 2019)—Aggregates and asphalt industries were out in full force at the record-setting World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo, Feb. 12-14 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Attendance hit an all-time high, with registered attendance at 10,063—a 28-percent increase over the 2018 show held in Houston, Texas. Attendees came from all 50 states, with the home state of Indiana represented by more than 1,500 attendees. International attendance also increased, with all 10 Canadian provinces and 52 other countries worldwide, including delegations from Nigeria and Russia, coming for the education sessions and exhibit floor.
“It’s been a great show with a lot of interaction on the show floor and in the education sessions. This is where our industry comes together—competitors and peers, to prepare for future growth,” said Kevin Kelly, president of Walsh & Kelly and World of Asphalt 2019 chair.
“Whether you were here to learn or purchase equipment, attend the shows or our Annual Convention, valuable information and resources were shared to help participants get their businesses on the fast track to success,” said Randy Lake, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) 2018 chairman.
Both World of Asphalt and AGG1 achieved record size and spanned a combined 201,450 net square feet of exhibits and hosted 500 exhibitors, more than 145 of whom were new to the shows. On display were the latest products and technologies for the aggregates, asphalt, pavement maintenance and traffic safety sectors.
“Our customer base is here at AGG1 each year. It’s about meeting customers we have known a long time and building on those great relationships, and also meeting new customers and letting them know about what Caterpillar has to offer. It’s a critical event for us,” said Tom Klister, Caterpillar global account executive.
“World of Asphalt has been a great show for us this year,” said Daniel Friedman, director of marketing with Eagle Crusher. “We’ve talked to a lot of attendees with positive feelings for 2019 and beyond, growth with distributors to represent our products worldwide, as well as customers signing purchase orders for equipment.”
The shows offered more than 150 learning opportunities, anchored by the AGG1 Aggregates Academy from NSSGA and the People, Plants and Paving Conference from the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA).
“It’s very important to see the latest technology, keep up with it, and come to this show to network and learn more about the aggregates industry,” said Don Gengelbach, equipment manager at Mulzer Crushed Stone in Tell City, Indiana, about AGG1 Academy & Expo.
Ben Everett with About Asphalt out of New Zealand came to the show primarily for the education. “Even with many years in the asphalt industry, you have to stay up to date and relevant with your knowledge. Over time with knowledge gained and lessons learned, techniques evolve,” Everett said. “I attended three education sessions and they are world class in quality and delivery. The presenters were excellent and related to attendees in a very collaborative way to get our attention. Most importantly, the content was accurate, up to date and factually correct.”
Industry support amplified the shows’ networking and knowledge sharing, with more than 30 allied groups from the United States, Canada and worldwide, participating as official supporting organizations.
The Indiana Mineral Aggregates Association co-located its winter meeting with NSSGA’s Annual Convention and AGG1. And the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana conducted three special education sessions at World of Asphalt.
Nearly 100 FFA students converged on the show floor the final day of the show for the #AgtoAsphalt Day where they connected with exhibitors and learned about rewarding industry careers.
The next World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo will be held March 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more about the shows at worldofasphalt.com and agg1.org.
