AGC Show Rolls Into Austin

Annual Industry Event Offers Old Favorites, New Products

Last year's show boasted more than 2,000 attendees milling around within the 170,000-sq.-ft. Austin Convention Center.

The 23rd Annual AGC of Texas Trade & Equipment Show, to be held next month in Austin, will feature more than 150 exhibitors and more than 1,000 products on display, including heavy and portable equipment and trucks.

By Kristin Foster

Marking the start of last year's show (L to R): Kimberli Koehler, trade show coordinator; Don Snider of Colorado Materials Ltd.; Tom Johnson, executive vice president, AGC of Texas; Gov. Rick Perry; Mike Behrens, executive director, TxDOT; and Terry Bryant, vice president, Jones Bros. Dirt & Paving Construction.

Dust off your wheel loaders and excavators and mark your calendars because heavy equipment is coming to Austin.

The Highway, Heavy, Utilities & Industrial branch of the Associated General Contractors of Texas is hosting its annual AGC of Texas Trade & Heavy Equipment Show Oct. 3 and 4 at the Austin Convention Center. It's the 23rd year of the show and one that the trade show committee hopes will be bigger and better than ever.

Over the past two decades, the show has come to be known as a pivotal social gathering for the Texas construction industry, as well as a place to network and make business connections. And there is no admission charge.

"We start planning the show every October, immediately after the previous show's end," said Kimberli Koehler, one of the trade show coordinators for the AGC. "The committee meets each month, and we can all see the show improving and coming together after each meeting."

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Last year's show boasted more than 2,000 attendees milling around within the 170,000-sq.-ft. convention center. The show is expected to have about 150 exhibitors this year.

Texas Construction magazine is one of the show's sponsors and exhibitors.

More than 1,000 goods and services will be featured in the various booths, from bonding and insurance to hand tools and traffic-control items. And there will be a huge variety of heavy and portable equipment.

This year’s show is expected to have about 150 exhibitors featuring bonding and insurance, hand tools and traffic-control items.

ROMCO, a heavy equipment dealer with eight branches across the state, has been an exhibitor at the AGC show since the beginning.

"ROMCO immediately recognized the importance of being at the show and supporting the AGC in general," said Paul Parker, ROMCO'S marketing manager. "From a vendor standpoint, the best part of the show is seeing the people and spending some time with them." Parker said that technology in general will be the main attraction and theme of the show this year and Texas is currently a great market for heavy equipment.

"Trade shows generally feature the latest and greatest," he added. "For us, that means products such as Volvo's new 900 series motor grader that rolled out this year."

ROMCO also plans to display Tier 3 engines offered by both Hitachi and Volvo.

"Fuel prices and emission levels become bigger issues all the time," Parker said. "Since Tier 3 engines are such an area of interest for people looking to cut costs and meet EPA standards, we're happy to display them and answer questions."

As always, there will be a huge variety of heavy and portable equipment at this year’s show as well as plenty of socializing and networking opportunities.

Another seasoned participant in the AGC trade show is the Texas Department of Transportation.

"TxDOT has long been involved with the AGC show," said Michael Behrens, executive director of TxDOT. "I have attended the show for a number of years and have always found the technology and information available to be cutting-edge for progressive contractors."

Aside from the booths and exhibits, the AGC show provides informational sessions, such as the AGC Safety Conference and the Pavement Preservation Seminar. In conjunction with the AGC show is the annual Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association meeting, also held in the Austin Convention Center.

"The AGC trade show is excellent because it provides a forum for dissemination of the latest information across the spectrum of knowledge for contractors, including safety issues, construction and equipment," Behrens said.

The show has a general purpose of bringing people from all branches of the construction industry together. Its coordinators achieve this by interspersing several social events throughout the show, including the grand opening luncheon, with a special guest speaker to be announced; the opening night reception; the contractors' luncheon, where Whitney & Siddons host a showing of TxDOT's highway letting results; live and silent auctions; and the perennially popular free fish fry.

Gov. Perry welcomes attendees at the grand opening luncheon, which was sponsored by Williams Brothers Construction and Hunter Industries.

The silent auction will take place throughout the show at the AGC's booth, and the live auction will be Saturday night during the fish fry. The auctions are traditionally a highlight of the show, and typically inspire a friendly competitiveness. The bidders know it is for a good cause; both auctions benefit the AGC of Texas scholarship fund. All the auction winners are announced at the end of the live auction. Last year, the live and silent auctions raised a total of $134, 400 for the chapter's scholarship program.

For more details on the show, the AGC of Texas or to register, log on to agctx.org.

Volvo's new G930 motor grader will be on display this year.