Aggregate Expo, a two-day trade show hosted by General Equipment & Supplies, drew more than 425 people earlier this year to Fargo, North Dakota.
Those who attended explored displays from General Equipment’s manufacturer partners and a variety of education sessions aimed at providing aggregate producers with a deeper understanding of industry concepts.
Additionally, a variety of equipment from the dealer’s partners – including crushers, screens and conveyors – was on display outside.
Don Kern, vice president of materials processing at General Equipment, was thrilled with this year’s record turnout. The show drew nearly 400 attendees in 2022 – a record at that time.
Kern attributes Aggregate Expo’s growth to the strong relationships General Equipment fosters with its customers and manufacturer partners.
“All of these guys are not just customers, they’re friends,” Kern says. “We’re partners in business. When they win, we win. That’s a very important thing.”
Seven shows later
This year’s show was the seventh General Equipment has hosted, with the first taking place in 2004. Looking back at the inaugural event, Kern never would have expected the show to become what it is.
“The first one was kind of an experiment, and we got overwhelming feedback,” he says. “Now it’s become a tradition. We’re always putting ourselves in a position where we have to do better. We have a lot of great, creative people stepping up. It makes it a good event for people to come and let down their guard.”
General Equipment, which hosts Aggregate Expo every three years, crafts education sessions in a way that provides showgoers with the most value. With attendees ranging from owners to hourly workers, Kern says a variety of factors are considered when sessions are developed.
“The education side of it has become more and more important as we go along,” Kern says. “I’ve had people come up to me and say it’s awesome that we’re offering that. It’s not just about equipment or tracking a belt, but how to have a tough conversation with an employee they don’t want to lose.
“Our goal is to have them get some value out of the sessions and leave with more than they came with,” he adds.
General Equipment also facilitates hands-on education, with Major’s Matthew Armstrong leading a screen media changeout seminar. Armstrong demonstrated “dos and don’ts” – plus best practices – to safely replace screen media.
“That demonstration has been a huge hit,” Kern says.
Looking ahead
Even before this year’s show was over, General Equipment had already started thinking about its 2028 show. Attendee feedback will help to drive the next show’s content.
“We look back so we can look forward,” Kern says. “We take the feedback from this, sit down and have a meeting to go over it. We’ll discuss new topics or things that could be relevant three years down the road. I hope people continue to see the value in what we’re doing.”
Related: Aggregate Expo brings industry together for education, exhibits
