AEM, Hanley Wood Head for Beijing
By Rachelle Crum -- Tradeshow Week, 5/2/2005
The Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers and Hanley Wood have separately launched CONEXPO Asia and World of Concrete Asia, respectively, to collocate on a triennial basis beginning May 2006 in Beijing.
E.J. Krause & Associates will provide exhibition management and hold an equity interest in both shows, which will be part of a three-year cycle of global construction shows, alternating with Messe Muenchen Intl.'s bauma in Munich, Germany (next in 2007), and AEM's CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas (next in 2008).
The three groups expect the on-site support of AEM's and E.J. Krause's Beijing offices and E.J. Krause's 20 years of experience organizing events in China to enhance the combined effort.
Beijing was selected, organizers said, because of its importance as the economic center and capital of China, one of the largest markets for the global construction industry. China purchased $262 million worth of U.S.-made construction industry machines in 2004, up 63 percent from the previous year.
"The level of construction is amazing" in China, said Hanley Wood Exhibitions President Galen Poss. During a January trip to Beijing, Poss said he counted 49 construction cranes outside his hotel room window.
The venture marks Hanley Wood's second foray onto the international scene. The firm (with E.J. Krause) launched World of Concrete Mexico last year in Mexico City.
"It makes complete sense to take the product and brand to Asia," said Poss.
John Gallagher, E.J. Krause senior vice president, said the venture is "extremely high priority" for his firm. "Both parties feel that the Asian market is big enough for both of them and, in going in together, they're much stronger."
Al Cervero, AEM senior vice president, said the chance to work with the two groups "just seemed like a great opportunity when everything aligned. You're always looking for opportunities to collaborate to multiply your potential."
The new CONEXPO show will give AEM's 700-plus members "a focus in each of the regions of the world on an annual basis," Cervero said. "And that's really what they're looking for."
AEM and Hanley Wood will also develop a combined education program featuring separate tracks for each show. Although organizers declined to estimate the shows' sizes, exhibitors will come from both China and other countries. The shows' location and dates will be announced at the end of the month.
AEM last month signed a memorandum of understanding with two organizations affiliated with China's Ministry of Construction to create the construction equipment industry's first joint training and certification program, to promote operator safety and equipment advances. The association also signed an agreement with the China Construction Machinery Assn. in 2004 to sell AEM Chinese-language safety manuals in the country.
