World of Concrete show organizers Hanley Wood last week announced that 84,789 professional registrants from around the world attended World of Concrete 2008 in Las Vegas Jan. 22-25.

The show utilized more than 900,000 net square feet of exhibit space to accommodate 1,700 exhibitors, making it the second-largest event in the show’s 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,” said Tom Cindric, director. “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.”

Despite the reported size, the consensus among manufacturers exhibiting at the show was that customer floor traffic was down compared to recent years. While exhibitors interviewed by RER generally reported an upbeat attitude and serious interest in their products on the part of attendees, many felt attendance had dropped from recent shows.

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 form 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 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.

World of Concrete, which was named by Tradeshow Week as one of the Top 50 fastest-growing tradeshows in 2007, will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center, Feb. 3-6 2009.