By John Rozum, The Utility Expo Show Director —
The countdown is on for The Utility Expo 2023!
As I look ahead to next month’s show in Louisville, I can’t help but recognize the fact that The Utility Expo is an event truly unlike any other one I’ve been a part of during my career in the exhibitions and events industry. There’s no doubt it really is the place for the utility industry to gather and grow, and I’m pleased to share our talented and driven show team is ready to once again provide a best-in-class show experience for exhibitors and attendees alike.
The 2023 edition of The Utility Expo remains what it’s always been: a premier opportunity for utility professionals and construction contractors to see, touch, hear and experience the latest and greatest tools and technology impacting their jobs. And, as is the case with all AEM-owned exhibitions and events, The Utility Expo is known for its commitment to quality and service, as well as all it offers to help exhibitors and attendees maximize their return on investment in the show.
It's difficult to believe it’s almost been two years since we last brought the utility industry together for what was an incredibly successful inaugural edition of a newly rebranded The Utility Expo. But at AEM, we don’t approach our success as a destination, but rather as a journey. There’s no end goal or accomplishment, and our award-winning exhibitions and events are always evolving and growing to better meet the needs and expectations of the industries they serve.
So, with that in mind, you can rest assured we haven’t “left good enough alone” when it comes to organizing The Utility Expo. Instead, we solicited feedback from our attendees and exhibitors, made enhancements to what we’re bringing to the 2023 show and are now positioned to drive even greater levels of value and satisfaction.
Join us at the No. 1 trade show for utility professionals, and be sure to stay in the know by signing up for show alerts.
As the days and weeks tick by, excitement and enthusiasm continue to grow within the industry. There’s so much to look forward to, including:
Expanded Education Opportunities
Offering valuable information and insights on the latest trends, innovations and best practices is a hallmark of every edition of The Utility Expo. And for this year’s show, we’re pleased to announce we’ve expanded our field classrooms program to allow for greater opportunities for attendees to seek out an alternative to a traditional classroom setting and find value in learning opportunities on the show floor.
Topics covered in our field classrooms include:
- Horizontal directional drilling
- Aerial devices
- Vacuum excavating
- Toolbox/Tailgate talks
- Safety Tech Trek
- Fleet management
Whether they’re looking to learn more about products, methods or techniques, show attendees will be able to find the answers they’re looking for from knowledgeable professionals in a worksite-like environment.
An Emphasis on Safety
Safety is a value AEM and The Utility Expo live by, and it’s everyone’s responsibility – regardless of role. As part of that commitment to safety, we’re pleased to have joined forces with the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) to offer a wealth of safety-related educational workshops as part of our new Safety Symposium. The six critical traffic safety education sessions available at this year’s show cover several topics, including:
- Emerging technology
- Worker safety
- PPE
- Mitigating worker safety
- Common maintenance
- Traffic control
In addition, we’re thrilled to offer certification training related to:
- Flagger certification
- Traffic control technician
Also, with safety in mind, we’re also pleased to collaborate with the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), who will offer a confined-space-entry safety course for attendees throughout this year’s show.
The Return of The Jobsite
Peer-to-peer educational learning is also a major focus of The Utility Expo 2023, and we’re excited to once again offer The Jobsite to our attendees. Presented by Planet Underground and focused on damage prevention, The Jobsite is set to consist of scheduled educational events at five themed stations:
- Mapping
- One call
- Locating
- Vacuum excavation (potholing)
- Construction
Ultimately, the goal of The Jobsite is to provide a peer-to-per experience that allows attendees to not only experience exactly what it’s like to work on a jobsite, but also help spread the word about the importance of damage prevention and how equipment can play an important role in protecting underground utilities.
A Comfortable, Yet Exciting Community Zone
Located in the North Hall Lobby, our Community Zone is the perfect place for attendees and exhibitors to take a few minutes out of their busy day to rest, recharge and enjoy one another’s company.
Those who visit the Community Zone at The Utility Expo this year can enjoy:
- Comfortable seating
- Charging stations
- Prize giveaways
- Live music, along with complimentary food and drink
- Bourbon sampling
- Our Show Store offers The Utility Expo merchandise
- An information desk to answer show and Louisville questions
It’s not enough for AEM to offer attendees and exhibitors a bigger edition of The Utility Expo. We’re committed to building on our past successes and making it better, too.
With bigger displays, more new equipment, uniquely valuable opportunities for demonstrations and enhanced educational opportunities, along with the same commitment to quality and service attendees and exhibitors expect from an AEM trade show, we believe The Utility Expo 2023 is firmly on course to be a smashing success.
Hope to see you there!
About The Utility Expo
The Utility Expo is the largest event for utility professionals and construction contractors seeking comprehensive insights into the latest industry technologies, innovations and trends. The biennial trade show, known for equipment test drives and interactive product demonstrations will be September 26-28, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information, visit www.utilityexpo.com.
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