Steven Pomerantz
Marketing Manager, Hanley Wood                                                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
spomerantz@hanleywood.com
972-536-6423

(Dallas, Texas) 84,789 professional registrants from around the world attended World of Concrete 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 22-25. With more than 900,000 net square feet of the newest concrete and masonry products, ideas and technologies from 1,700 exhibiting companies, World of Concrete delivered the 2nd largest event in its 34-year history, second only to WOC 2007’s record-breaking show.

“This has been a very successful event. We are very pleased with the support exhibitors and attendees have shown to us when things in the commercial and residential construction communities have been affected by the current economy. To get this kind of support, especially with other industry events occurring during the first quarter of 2008, really speaks volumes to what the show has become to attendees and the industry alike. WOC has truly become THE industry event to attend,” stated Tom Cindric, Director.

World of Concrete featured special product and action areas including The Producer Center, a dedicated marketplace of materials, equipment, demos, and seminars for concrete producers; Material Handling, offering trucks, excavators and more for material delivery, distribution, concrete placement, and earth moving; Concrete Repair and Demolition, housing a display of surface preparation equipment, scarifying,
grinding, sawing equipment, and other demolition products; World of Masonry, showcasing a full range of products, tools, information, and technology for masonry professionals; and Technology for Construction, featuring the newest products and tools for the commercial construction industry from top information technology and systems providers.

New in 2008 was the GREENSITE area of the show floor located in the South Hall. In this well attended area, exhibitors showcased green build technologies and products along with interactive displays, video presentations, and valuable information on this new and growing topic of concern in the commercial and residential construction industries.
For both returning and first-time attendees to WOC, the experience of being at the 2008
show was met with excitement and enthusiasm. “This is my first year at WOC. I’m in the forming business, and I came to see all the new innovations in forming. The new products here definitely make this a worthwhile trip and I’ll be back again next year. There is something for everyone here,” stated Wendell
Stockton of Stockton Concrete, LLC., Albany, KY.

“I’ve been to 12 of the last 15 World of Concrete shows. There is always something new. I talk to my suppliers and scout for new ones. It is nice to get a chance to talk in person. It is also a great way to comparison shop, network and test new products,” noted Randy Dewey of Granite Construction, Indio, CA.

“Every year I attend World of Concrete. This is where everything happens. I’ve bought all kinds of stuff here including a boom truck and a pump truck. Plus, I can talk to my suppliers facetoface. I will be back next year,” remarked Deane Guy of Deane Guy Masonry Inc., Clements, MD.

The World of Concrete Education Program is lauded as a worldclass feature at the show resulting in attendees participating in over 25,000 industry leading educational sessions. Targeted 3-hour sessions covered everything from Concrete Fundamentals to Decorative Concrete and Business Management Practices and 90-minute topics include Leadership Management, Technology for Construction, Legal Issues, Women in Construction, Finance and Money Matters, Green Building, Safety and Risk
Management, and more.

New this year was the OSHA 10hour Construction Safety for Concrete Construction course. This intense 2-day program, which sold out before the show, provided concrete workers, supervisors and other field personnel with an awareness of safety and health concerns in the construction industry and placed a special emphasis on the OSHA regulations that address concrete issues. This is the only OSHA 10hour
construction program specifically designed to help concrete workers and supervisors identify and avoid hazards they are likely to encounter every day on the job. The class was highly engaging and included video segments of job site scenarios that portrayed typical hazards and their remedies.

Unique to World of Concrete is the Outdoor Events and Demonstration Areas featuring fan favorites including the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500®, the Pettibone Telehandler Skills Competition, the John Deere Load America Competition, and the Mack Driving Skills Safety Challenge. Along with these key spectator events are hundreds of outdoor exhibitors demonstrating many new products and cuttingedge equipment / technologies for a one-of-a-kind experience.

MCAA (Masonry Contractors Association of America) held its annual convention concurrently with the World of Masonry. The move benefited the Masonry Industry by combining resources and making the World of Masonry, an integral part of World of Concrete, the Masonry industry’s premier event. Kicking off the event at the Opening Session luncheon for MCAA was Henry Winkler, one of the most recognized actors in
the world, often remembered for his portrayal of "The Fonz" for 10 seasons on the hit series “Happy Days”.
MCAA held several educational sessions along with two exciting outdoor events; the International Masonry Skills Challenge and the Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition.

World of Concrete was proud to have been selected again to participate in the 2008 International Buyer Program. As a member of the 2008 IBP, World of Concrete Management and the U.S. Commercial Service worked closely in the global promotion of the show bringing International buyers and exhibitors together to expand business both domestically and overseas. As part of the program, delegations from all over the globe attended World of Concrete to network with other international visitors as well as connect with US exhibitors interested in exporting goods and services.

“We’re here to find new materials for concrete construction and to upgrade our skills, machines and everything else. We’ve been coming for the past 10 years, and we will continue to come to future shows,” stated international attendee Young Tuik Song Of Doojeong Construction Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea.

“This is my first time at World of Concrete. I am looking to buy some new machinery for my business, and I’m very impressed with the show. I will definitely be back!” said Jean Turgeon Alba of Quebec, Canada.

Exhibitors throughout the show floor and outdoor exhibit areas were very pleased with both the quantity and quality of attendees that attended WOC 2008.

“The show has gone really, really well for us, and we definitely plan to exhibit again next year. It has been one of the strongest shows for us this year,” stated returning exhibitor Matthew Anderson of Maxwell Systems.

“The show has been very successful. Booth traffic has exceeded all expectations and the number of leads we got has surpassed the results of any other show we have done this year,” said first-time
exhibitor Jim Aungst of SWS Walls.

“We have had a ton of traffic at both our indoor and outdoor booths. This has been a wonderful selling show for us this year, and we definitely plan to exhibit again next year,” commented Nedra Hobert of Husqvarna.

“The traffic and the flow in the outdoor area has been the best we have had in the past 9 years,” noted Bruce McCorkle of Hilti.

The Concrete Producer's Economic Summit, held annually during World of Concrete, was an exclusive two-hour lunch program focused on the overall U.S. economy and the outlook for the commercial, residential and public works construction sectors. Topics included how producers can be profitable while also concentrating on industry consolidation and strategies for buying or selling companies, an overview of the U.S. economy and a construction outlook for 2008 and beyond. This event has grown in popularity with attendees and has become a key component for attendees to meet and discuss the current state of the industry in a unique and informative yearly forum.

THE CONCRETE PRODUCER magazine also hosted two Hoover Dam Bypass Tours sponsored by SIKA, which sold out quickly. Tour patrons learned the history and challenges of the Hoover Dam Bypass as well as the admixtures used in the project's mix designs during an informative construction site visit and tour.
The third annual Women in Concrete Forum was another successful soldout event.

Hosted by Concrete Construction and The Concrete Producer Magazines, this luncheon and forum brought together hundreds of women working in the concrete construction industry to network, learn and identify issues important to them.

CIM (Concrete Industry Management) held the third annual unreserved auction at WOC 2008 with all proceeds benefiting the National Steering Committee for CIM to support their efforts to establish, support, and sustain its programs at selected universities. The auction, produced by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, raised more than $540,000. In addition to the live auction, CIM also hosted a silent auction, with over 40 items available for bid throughout the event.

With such a broad variety of events, demonstrations, educational sessions and much more, it is no wonder why World of Concrete continues to create an important and vital industry event for both attendees and exhibitors alike and was named by Tradeshow Week as one of the Top 50 Fastest-Growing Tradeshows in 2007.

World of Concrete 2009 will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 3-6; Seminars 2-6,
and will continue to build upon its reputation as THE only annual international commercial construction show for the concrete and masonry industries.


About Hanley Wood
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through four operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America’s leading publisher of home plans. Hanley Wood Exhibitions (Dallas) conducts 17 trade shows, including World of Concrete, one of the top 20 trade show events in the country.

Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $250 million company owned by affiliates of JPMorgan Partners, LLC. CCMP Capital Advisors manages the Hanley Wood investment for JPMorgan Partners.