ConExpo shows full house to worldwide audience

June 1, 2002
MORE THAN 115,000 industry professionals attended CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2002 and IFPE 2002 (ConExpo) March 19-23. The Las Vegas Convention Center turned into

MORE THAN 115,000 industry professionals attended CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2002 and IFPE 2002 (ConExpo) March 19-23. The Las Vegas Convention Center turned into a temporary home for the largest construction, stone/aggregate, and fluid-power equipment manufacturers in the world.

A total of 2,455 exhibitors covered 1,940,443 net square feet of space. International visitors accounted for 14.4% of this number, tracking comparably to the last ConExpo held in 1999. According to show officials, this far exceeded any expectations for foreign participation in light of the tragedies of September 11.

“Despite the current economic downturn and the security concerns caused by recent events, the 2002 show easily surpassed the projected attendance of 100,000,” said Dennis Slater, co-managing director of ConExpo exhibition activities and director of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

Las Vegas also found itself inundated with body and trailer manufacturers that provide innovative transportation and field service products for the construction industry. “We've always had a large turnout from the trailer and body manufacturers that cater to the construction industry,” said Slater.

Jim Carney, executive director of the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA), agrees. Carney attended ConExpo and assisted many NTEA members who were exhibiting products at the show.

“One of the reasons that the NTEA is a cooperating association to ConExpo is the amount of business that our body and trailer builders receive from the construction industry,” Carney said.

The CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE exhibition is held every three years with the next show scheduled in Las Vegas, March 15-19, 2005. For more information, visit www.conexpoconagg.com or www.ifpe.com.

New items displayed at ConExpo:

Almost every conceivable piece of construction equipment found its way to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the largest exposition of construction materials industries ever held in the Western Hemisphere, according to Pat Monroe, information officer for ConExpo.

Newer designs for the 1.5- and 3.0-cubic-yard cement mixers were introduced by Mitsubishi Fuso to serve the smaller, urban project contractor. The mixers can maneuver through narrow city streets, and also deliver the right amount of ready-mix for projects such as patios and walkways, says Mitsubishi Fuso spokesman Joe Devlin. Both units feature adjustable inclination and a folding sub-chute for quick discharge. (www.mitfuso.com)

Landoll Corporation, Marysville KS, displayed the LT-1016, a 16-foot bumper-pull, tilt-bed trailer with a 10,000-pound capacity. Next to the LT-1016 is the model 410 gooseneck, 50-ton equipment carrier trailer carrying the Landoll bottom-dump trailer. The 410 has a 6.5° load angle, 10.5-inch loaded ground clearance, and a 38-inch loaded deck height.

Pickup tool box by Highway Products, White City OR, incorporates several new products including the pop-up metal bed-cap system. Dan Colcleaser says the system is manufactured with the craftsman in mind, providing easy access for tools. The body provides tool, ladder holder, slide-out storage space, and lockable space for bulk items. (www.800toolbox.com)

Hendrickson's ComposiLite provides a 13,200-pound-capacity suspension for the weight-conscious hauler. The aluminum and composite suspension weighs only 812 pounds. (www.hendrickson-intl.com)

Landoll also introduced several new families of trailers. Shown is a detachable gooseneck trailer specifically designed to transport taller and wider machinery loads. The model 825 has a 55,000-pound capacity, 7 inches of ground clearance, and a 17-inch deck height. The 825 also has pull-out aluminum side struts to handle extra-wide products such as dual-rear tire tractors. (www.landoll.com)

Watson & Chalin raises the bar with the 3000 series, DA-2600 steerable lift axle. This new 8,000-pound-capacity axle is designed with self-tracking geometry that provides a true self-steering capability. The McKinney TX manufacturer designs suspension components for heavy-duty trucks and trailers. (www.watsonsuspensions.com)

New suspensions highlighted the Hendrickson display with the HaulMaax and ComposiLite. The HaulMaax was designed in partnership with PACCAR to fit Peterbilt and Kenworth customers' needs. It utilizes spring geometry imbedded in a natural rubber composite made of a high-density thermo-set material that adjusts to load characteristics.

Trail King Industries, Mitchell SD, displayed the newest design in its line of accumulated hydraulic trailer boosters, which equalize the weight between trailer modules when multi-axle jeeps, flip-axle jeeps, and double gooseneck trailers are needed to haul a load. (www.trailking.com)

Fontaine Trailer Company's construction division, Fontaine Specialized, introduced the 504A-NGB trailer. The 504A has a hydraulic removable gooseneck with 50-ton capacity. The 54-foot overall length includes a 24-foot level deck area. The air-ride suspension provides a smooth ride for heavy equipment, along with a 6-inch ground clearance, according to Rick Bodnar, regional sales manager for Fontaine Trailer Company, Springville AR. (www.fontainetrailer.com)

The Super-Lubber by McLellan Equipment carries up to 20 gallons of fuel per inch of body shell. Standard capacities range from 1,500 to 2,750 gallons. All heads and baffles are dished and flanged to promote unit longevity. McLellan Equipment is based in San Francisco CA. (www.mclellanequipment.com)

Interpipe Equipment Company, Phoenix AZ, demonstrated its newest product, the X100 Lube-Fuel body, designed for greater tool storage and more fuel/bulk product capacity. The four-drawer tool organizer is accessible from the rear of the body. The filter drawer is designed to prevent leakage and to promote easy cleanup. (www.interpipeequipment.com)

The newest crane from Maintainer Corporation of Sheldon IA will lift 6,000 pounds at a distance of 6 feet. The fully hydraulic, 38,000-foot-pound crane can extend to 24 feet and can be controlled by an optional wireless remote control unit. The unit is available with either worm or planetary gearing. (www.maintainer.com)

Etnyre's new Falcon body has a 26-cubic-yard asphalt spreader. The 25-foot body hauls up to 8-inch material and unloads with a 36-inch asphalt belt and apron. The new belt design allows the body to unload in half-belt revolutions, says Jim Hinkle, marketing manager. Etnyre, Oregon IL, has been manufacturing asphalt equipment since 1898. (www.etnyre.com)

Thurston Manufacturing Company unveiled the latest addition to its Circle-R side dumps. The newest model features a 23- to 31-cubic-yard capacity in a standard 40-foot, two-axle side-dump trailer. The gains are derived from design improvements that allow greater loading capacities. The standard version of the trailer has a 14,850-pound tare weight, spring suspension, ABS brakes, and two-speed landing gear. Circle-R side dumps are manufactured in Thurston NE. (www.thurstonmfgco.com)

The newest pup trailer combinations from Beall Trailers, Turlock CA, are Cal-Steelers and Cal-Lites. The pups are part of dump-body trailer combinations, says Alan Stokes, sales representative, and are the lightest of Beall's steel/aluminum dump-body trailer combinations. (www.beallcorp.com)

Gem State Manufacturing, Caldwell ID, introduced the TrailMax series of utility, tiltbed, and beavertail trailers. The newest is the T-series 16-foot tiltbed that has a diamond-grip non-skid surface. The company claims the new surface will outlast many other non-skid coated surfaces that provide traction. (www.trailmax.com)

A roll-out parts washer and solvent bin are being offered in CARCO Industries' newest design of mechanics and field lube bodies. The solvent pump is powered with the standard 12-volt DC system, says salesman Kevin Dripps. The field lube trucks are also equipped with the latest technology in a filter storage drawer to prevent leakage. (www.carcoindustries.com)

Equipment Wholesale exhibited its two newest bodies, the Lube Pro V and the Field Pro III. The Lube Pro V is a large-capacity field fueling and lubrication body designed to carry 1,000 gallons of diesel. The unit also has a three-compartment tank that holds 100 gallons of product in each tank. There is a 150-gallon waste product tank along with a 55-gallon grease keg and a contaminant enclosure.

The Field Pro III (not pictured) is a field service body equipped with a 5,000- to 10,000-pound hydraulically operated crane, a 225-amp welder, a 20-cfm compressor, a 14-foot bed with eight cabinets, an oxygen/acetylene bin, air reels, vise, and many other customer-selected items. (www.equipmentwholesale.com)

Scott Wilson demonstrates the Accu-Shot electric grease dispenser that digitally measures and dispenses grease. Wilson claims this technology provides bearings and grease points with the factory-specified amount of lubricant without guesswork. The Accu-Shot is manufactured by GRACO, Minneapolis MN. (www.wilsonrogers.com)

Crysteel Manufacturing, Lake Crystal MN, displayed the Paradox dump body. The square design mates with the Silent Drive Maxle, a tag-trailing axle that helps haulers meet federal and local bridge laws. The Raptor, Crysteel's elliptical dump body, will also mate with the Silent Drive Maxle. Both the Paradox and the Raptor are manufactured with high-strength steel.

Several new cranes topped the list of products being demonstrated by Iowa Mold Tooling Company (IMT), Garner IA. Two of the newest heavy-duty telescopic cranes are models 28/198 and the 5525. The IMT model 28/198 (in photo) has a 28-foot reach coupled with a 198,000-foot-pound rating. Jill Schott, marketing director for IMT, says the new articulating cranes and hydraulic loaders will be available with the Electronic Vehicle Stability (EVS) safety system. This patented system is designed to evaluate and adjust vehicle stability. Schott claims the EVS system on IMT cranes will increase productivity and safety for owners/operators. According to Schott, the company was able to introduce the two new cranes after only 10 weeks of development because of the dedicated efforts of the engineering team. The model 5525 has a 55,000-foot-pound rating with a 25-foot reach. (www.imt.com)

Crysteel's new Tipper E-Series is designed for chassis up to 20,000-pound GVWR. The body has an integrated tarp system along with a greatly streamlined design. (www.crysteel.com)

Stellar Industries, Garner IA, demonstrates the Stellar Extender series, 10620 self-storing jib crane. The hydraulically operated jib is completely self-storing. It is operated with a wireless remote control. (www.stellar-industries.com)

Valew Truck Bodies unveiled a line of field lubrication truck bodies. The standard closed-back 120-inch CA truck will carry 1,000 gallons of diesel, three 110-gallon product tanks, and one 110-gallon water/antifreeze tank. There is also a 220-gallon reclaim tank. Cabinet space can be designed to the customer's specification. Valew, Adelanto CA, has manufactured truck bodies and trailers since 1954. (www.valew.com)

About the Author

John Nahas