Registration open for WOC 2013

A jam-packed week of concrete and masonry

By Steven Pomerantz

Larger than WOC 2012, and packed with an exciting lineup of more than 100 educational sessions, hands-on product demonstrations, spectator events & competitions, as well as luncheons & forums providing relevant solutions, World of Concrete 2013 will be a jam-packed week of concrete and masonry to help attendees get the job done!

This well-known industry mega-show is the only annual international commercial construction trade show for the concrete and masonry industries featuring 1,200 exhibiting companies and an expected 50,000 registered concrete and masonry professionals.

“We are extremely pleased with how booth sales and attendee registration are going. The show floor is already larger than the 2012 show, and we still have several months to welcome additional exhibitors to the show. With the economy turning a corner, the industry need for new products and technologies, and networking opportunities that can only be found at a relationship-building tradeshow, WOC 2013 will be a satisfying event for both exhibitors and attendees,” said Jackie James, Director, World of Concrete.

World of Concrete has been selected for the 8th consecutive year to participate in the 2013 International Buyer Program. World of Concrete Management and the U.S. Commercial Service will cooperate in the global promotion of the show to bring international buyers and exhibitors together to expand business both domestically and overseas. As part of the program, delegations from all over the globe will attend World of Concrete to connect with U.S. exhibitors interested in exporting goods and services. The International Business Center will be their headquarters for these activities.

Competitive, smart professionals can look forward to a world-class Education Program that adds more value to the show experience with more than 100+ expert-led sessions, including more than 50% brand new sessions for WOC 2013. NEW sessions include the Train-the-Trainer for Crane Operators / Signalmen; Construction Boot Camp for Field Leaders; plus Hands-On Training opportunities for laying concrete masonry block, placing & finishing floors, surveying, stamped concrete and concrete repairs. Also added for WOC 2013 are the new 4-hour Certification Seminars and Exams track. Special rates are available to attendees with the purchase of any Super Pass Package to earn a WOC Master Certificate in as little as three days.

Popular returning events include The John Deere Operator Challenge, Western Star Serious Trucks Challenge, the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® National bricklaying championship, SAIA’s Safety Boot Camp, Pervious Concrete LIVE!, Masonry Veneer LIVE!, and the 2013 CIM Auction, which is poised to break past fundraising records at WOC 2013.

Brand new events for 2013 will feature Concrete Anchoring LIVE!, Power Troweling Aid Research Project, and Let’s Build with Concrete for Habitat. Details on returning favorites and new events can be found here.

MCAA (Masonry Contractors Association of America) will hold its Annual Convention at WOC. In addition to several educational sessions, MCAA will feature two exciting events; the International Masonry Skills Challenge and the Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition. Learn more at www.masoncontractors.org/convention.

New for WOC 2013, the editors of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION and CONCRETE SURFACES announce the Concrete Surfaces Decorative Pavilion Awards. The Awards will recognize the art, craftsmanship, and industry education that occurs in the exhibits within the Concrete Surfaces Decorative Pavilion. All exhibitors with a booth in this area are invited and encouraged to enter the work being done in their booths into the Awards. There will be three Concrete Surfaces Decorative Pavilion Awards categories: best flatwork, best vertical work, and best specialty work (countertops, furniture, etc.). Within each category there will be an Attendees’ Choice winner where attendees vote and an Experts’ Choice winner. An award will also be given for best educational presentation during the show—the winner in this category will be selected only by the expert judges. The exhibitor with the decorative work selected as Best in Show will win a free 10-by-10-foot booth at World of Concrete 2014.

Within this Pavilion, the new event Let's Build with Concrete for Habitat will be showcased. For two years, attendees have participated in a hands-on tool demo activity constructing concrete tabletops. After the event, these items were donated to Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas ReStore. This year, the goal will be to create a number of concrete items for donation with the help of instructors and students involved in Skills USA, to work on the items during show hours. Attendees will get to see the setup, demonstrations of the decorative concrete items being made, and a viewing of the completed items before they are shipped to ReStore.

Each day, WOC offers an educational Luncheon & Forum experience, where attendees can enjoy a meal while listening to industry leaders on the hottest and most relevant topics today. This year offerings include the Concrete Surfaces Concrete Polishing Luncheon & Forum, the Concrete Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance Luncheon & Forum, and Concrete Construction's Quality in Concrete Slabs Luncheon & Forum. Details on these luncheons can be found here.

Unique to WOC is the outdoor exhibits and demonstration area where attendees can see equipment and technology in action. This high-energy, high-impact area lets attendees test products under real jobsite conditions—giving them the knowledge they need to make educated purchasing decisions. Construction pros come here to preview and test the latest products, such as trucks, cranes, decorative concrete, surface preparation equipment, walk-behind power trowels and shot blasters.

Also returning is the Product Showcase, which gives attendees an opportunity to be among the first to see the latest industry products and technologies.

The Hoover Dam Bypass Editorial Tours are an option for people who want to learn about the history and challenges, as well as the admixtures used in the project mix designs. Transportation and lunch will be provided.

The 10th Annual “Most Innovative Products” Contest showcases the best new products of 2013. Attendees can browse product entries at participating exhibitors’ booths and cast votes at the show or online to determine the most “innovative products of the year.”

To honor hardworking crews in the construction industry, World of Concrete is proud to showcase CREWS THAT ROCK, sponsored by BASF. Crews submitted stories and photos of their amazing and inspiring projects from the past year for a chance to win a trip to the show, including hotel nights, seminars and other exciting prizes. Winners will be honored at a reception on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at WOC 2013, hosted by TV hosts Dean & Derek, along with management from CTR’s exclusive sponsor, BASF, and WOC Show Management, as well as members of the industry press. Online voting closes 12-28-12. More details are available at www.crewsthatrock.com.

Be sure to visit www.worldofconcrete.com for the latest updates on events, educational offerings, show news and more!