ForConstructionPros.com

Step off a plane in Vegas this March and you're likely to hear the roar of engines and feel the ground shake before you even see your first slot machine. It won't be coming from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, or even the Strip. Rather, it will be coming from the Las Vegas Convention Center, as an estimated 17 billion pounds of equipment gets ready to rumble as CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008 opens its doors.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG is setting out to prove it's the only real game in town. At 2.293 million net sq. ft. of exhibit space, the triennial event is on track to be the biggest show in North America for any industry, and it is a must attend for those who are serious about seeing all the latest in construction equipment, products and services. An estimated 125,000 industry professionals from around the world are expected to flood its halls.

If you've never attended the show before, you may find it difficult to grasp how large it truly is. To put it in perspective, the CONEXPO-CON/AGG exhibit area will cover 48 acres - roughly the equivalent of 36 football fields! Another 127,000 net sq. ft. is dedicated to the co-located IFPE International Exposition for Power Transmission, which features an array of motion control products and technologies. Between the two shows, there will be literally thousands of products on display - all of them potentially relevant to your business. (For a listing of exhibiting companies, visit www.conexpoconagg.com.)

If that's not enough to grab your attention, there will also be live demonstrations taking place daily throughout the outdoor exhibit areas. Additional events include the finals of the Case Rodeo Series, the Mixer Driver World Cup, the Safety Zone exhibit area and the finals of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers' first-ever Construction Challenge.

Education is also an important element of any CONEXPO-CON/AGG experience. The education program will offer more than 120 sessions delivered by industry experts, with a focus on industry trends, case studies and "how to" application techniques and strategies. There is also a special free program on best practices for small fleet management, which will be held the last day of the show.