World of Concrete attendees watch demos at Hilti's outdoor stand. Although foot traffic fell short of expectations, many exhibitors were pleased with the quality of attendees at last week's show. Photo by Michael Roth, rer.

Attendance continued to be soft at this year’s World of Concrete in comparison to the show’s peak attendance a few years ago. Although official numbers were not available at press time, show organizers estimated attendance at about 50,000, compared to its peak of about 92,000 in 2007. Exhibit space also dropped to 515,000 square feet, compared to 900,000 square feet in 2008, with total booths declining from about 1,700 during the peak to fewer than 1,300 this week. Participants attributed the decline to the economic downturn, with this year’s drop also related to the fact that the ConExpo show will be held at the same facility in mid-March.

Exhibitors gave the show mixed reviews. Some complained about the drop in traffic, while others felt the quality was strong with a high percentage of attendees being decision-makers. Some noted that during the peak years, contractors often rewarded employees with a trip to the show, thus filling booths with “tire-kickers” who lacked decision-making power. As one exhibitor told RER, “I’d rather have 20 visitors to the booth in an hour and have them all be owners and potential buyers than 200 visitors with no decision-making power.”

Some exhibitors were encouraged by on-site sales, strong leads and a more upbeat attitude on the part of attendees than the past couple of years.