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The World of Concrete (WOC) 2019 conference opened Monday at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, seeking to provide attendees with a firm foundation for all concrete and masonry sectors. 

The event is described by organizers as the largest World of Concrete in 10 years.

(Visit CoatingsPro Magazine @ Booth # S11546)

WOC is the industry’s only annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries, with a stated mission to bring international buyers together with U.S. exhibitors to expand business domestically and overseas. The event includes both a conference education program and exhibit hall.

“We are anticipating another exciting event for 2019,” said Jackie James, group director of World of Concrete. “This space draw has surpassed expectations in square footage, and we are confident the 2019 event will be a strong event for both exhibitors and attendees. We look forward to serving the concrete and masonry industries with this annual international platform to network, source, and receive valuable education to start the year off strong.”

With ~60,000 attendees expected, the conference offers numerous networking and educational opportunities. These range from technical training sessions on the latest construction and worksite techniques to professional development workshops focused on business and management.

Event seminars begin on Monday, while exhibitions and training workshops launch on Tuesday. All events conclude by Friday.

Education Program Highlights

The educational program includes everything from interactive workshops and specialized seminars to hands-on, skill-building sessions, with a goal of equipping personnel, project leaders, supervisors and owners with the latest knowledge in all facets of concrete and masonry.

WOC offers 90-minute and three-hour seminar sessions, along with four-hour certification seminars. In all, there are 187 sessions for training and education at the conference, with a goal of providing safety and construction fundamentals vital to the commercial construction and masonry industries.

The three-hour seminars include tracks on concrete fundamentals, concrete floors and slabs, concrete production, concrete repair, business and project management, and a new concrete polishing track. Meanwhile, 90-minute tracks encompass subjects such as engineering, masonry, decorative concrete, general business technology and best practices, business leadership and management, and Concrete 101 for entry-level personnel or those with less than three years of experience.

Sessions of particular interest for coatings contractors may include “Cold Weather: Managing Concrete in Winter Conditions.” That presentation takes place on Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. and is given by Kim Basham, president of KB Engineering.

On Wednesday, the “Leading-Edge Techniques for Finishing Industrial and High-End Commercial Floors” session will be presented by Bob Simonelli and Bryan Birdwell of Structural Services Inc. That session runs from 1:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

And on Thursday, a discussion on “OSHA Silica Regulation: First Steps to Begin the Path to Compliance” will be led by Khadija Talley, project manager for health, safety, and environmental services at Hilti, Inc. That session will be held from 1:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The complete list of educational, training, and workshop sessions can be accessed from WOC’s website.

Exhibit Hall Floor

WOC, which held its first show in February 1975, also features a trade show — which is slated to include more than 1,500 suppliers from all spectrums of the concrete industry. The Exhibit Hall will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. from Tuesday through Thursday, and from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Friday.

“There are some very positive changes to the show floor for 2019,” said Kevin Archibald, show manager. “We have moved the Masonry area to Central Hall, and Technology to the North Hall, to accommodate both of these growing sectors of our industry.”

The 2019 event incorporates special product and action areas on the trade show floor, including interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and industry training programs. The interactive events feature subjects such as construction forklifts, aerial and scissor lifts, fall protection, construction loaders, concrete countertops, decorative overlays, and acid staining.

CoatingsPro Magazine staff can be visited each day at booth S11546, and members of the editorial team will be posting on-site photos and videos on the official CoatingsPro Facebook and Twitter accounts.