CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE 2011 Expositions are a Resounding Success

MILWAUKEE, March 28, 2011  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The mood was overwhelmingly positive at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2011 expositions held March 22-26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Despite continued uncertainty in U.S. construction markets and the overall economy, industry professionals expressed hopeful optimism for a sustained U.S. upturn in the coming months, while global sales continue to be strong.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2011 attracted nearly 120,000 registered attendees; the shows were the global industry gathering place this year and the largest gathering in North America since 2008 for the construction, construction materials and fluid power/power transmission/motion control industries.

Altogether on the show floor were more than 2,400 exhibitors taking more than 2.34 million net square feet of exhibit space. IFPE was the largest ever, and CONEXPO-CON/AGG's exhibit space was second largest in the show's history.

International registrations were a record 24 percent of the total, representing more than 150 countries. The shows hosted 42 official international customer delegations from 37 countries, organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as in-country associations and related groups.

The majority of show attendees were key company decision-makers, including 44 percent with the top titles of president/owner and vice president/general manager/chief financial officer.

A record 860-plus co-located events, educational programs and pre-planned meetings were held. Co-locations included ICON Expo for the concrete products industry and several annual conferences of national industry associations.

Industry-focused education is an important component of the show experience, and there were a record number of education, training and certification programs offered.

Attendees said they were there to examine the newest equipment and product technologies and innovations to help them prepare for future business; exhibitors cited the high quality of customers and reported strong purchases and sales leads to new as well as existing customers.

"The construction industry has been through some very tough times, with record unemployment, but with these positive numbers, we're optimistic about the future," stated Megan Tanel, AEM vice president exhibitions and events.

"The increased global participation underscores the importance of world markets to our industry. The U.S. economy is slowly improving and we have a ways to go, but after 18 to 24 months there is more pent-up demand for equipment to be ready for the upturn," Tanel added.

SOURCE Association of Equipment Manufacturers