The post-show review summed it up pretty impressively: 6,500 attendees (a show record) from 50 states, six Canadian provinces, and 50 countries traversing the nearly 3 acres of floor space (another record) occupied by more than 400 exhibitors (yet another record) over the three-day event. While many sat in on a variety of presentations, the majority of those with whom I spoke were there taking note of the myriad goods and services on the show floor, heralding what we all pray is the beginning of a long overdue recovery.
Even as this was going on—in fact at almost the same time as The Road Connection’s Pam Whitted, vice president of government affairs for The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA), presented the status of the Federal Highway Bill in Congress, and explained the purpose of Rally for Roads, another upcoming NSSGA-sponsored event in Washington, DC—the US Senate was busy passing a two-year, $109 billion bill to fund the nation’s highways and public transit system...good news to those who feared another bout of indecision in our nation’s upper chamber.
Grading & Excavation Contractor’s most recent survey showed that 40% of our readers do paving, a statistic that caught me off guard, but when I spoke with people on the show floor—exhibitors and attendees alike—I was greeted with a response very much akin to “Well, duh! If you’ve done the earthwork, why wouldn’t you go after the paving, since not only are you already there onsite, but who knows better than you the results of the earthwork and how much material it will take to complete the job.”
“Besides,” said one of the contractors I spoke with, “that’s where you make your money.”
So to me, the bottom line in this year’s World of Asphalt is that it was a winner on all fronts and that we’ll be increasing our coverage of paving topics from here on out. In fact, that’s the focus of our entire June 2012 issue.
I’d really appreciate feedback from those who attended World of Asphalt as to their experience and paving plans for the future.
************************
Upcoming Forester University Webinars
March 22nd, 2012
5 Proven Social Media Tactics to Engage Your Audience
Extend your outreach and campaign effectiveness with social media. Join Erica Hooper, Strategic Director at S. Groner Associates, to explore social media's (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.) opportunities, myths, and real-world tested and proven social media tactics designed to engage your audience. Read more…
April 5th, 2012
BMP Management
for Surface Water Quality
Constantly influenced by natural eutrophication, direct human impact, and a changing climate, surface water is a scarce natural resource needing effective protection. Join Shahram (Shane) Missaghi to explore the function and benefits of BMPs in protecting surface water, and examine three key criteria to insure their successful implementation: water, soil, and climate Read more...
April 12th, 2012
Water Auditing 101
Reduce your water waste and cost! Join Troy Aichele, LEED AP (O+M) of Aichele and Associates LLC to explore the key attributes, uses, and efficiency/cost opportunities of water audits. Aichele will lead a discussion of what a water audit includes, who performs the audit, where and when they should and can be performed, and the opportunities that exist in performing a water audit. Join us and gain an understanding of the potential savings possible, rebates available, and how quickly this unobtrusive work can be implemented from audit to installation to optimize your water use and minimize your cost. Read more...
April 18th, - May 25th, 2012
Sediment and Erosion Control
Master Class Series
Join industry expert and bestselling author Jerald S. Fifield, Ph.D., CISEC, CPESC and Tina R. Evans, PE, CISEC for a comprehensive 6-part online master class and workshop series (0.9 CEUs / 9 PDHs) exploring the ins and outs of effective sediment and erosion control plan design and review based on Fifield’s recently released 3rd edition of the bestselling manual Designing and Reviewing Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Plans (included in your Master Class Series package).
Read more...