Last week’s combined WASTECON and APWA Expo was—in my humble opinion—a flat-out winner…one that shows great promise for the future. Despite the fact that the events attracted similar attendees, I saw no evidence that the two shows stepped on each other’s toes…indeed quite the opposite as visitors crossed over the invisible dividing line to check out and talk with exhibitors on both sides.
On my way from Santa Barbara to Boston, I had an hour layover in Salt Lake City, where I sat among a group of show-bound passengers. One, a Utah public works director, told me had it not been for the joint hosting of the event, he would have been hard-pressed to justify his own attendance, much less that of members of his staff.
Perhaps by next week we’ll have the official attendance figures, but they have to be heartening to both organizations. As it stands now, it will not be until 2015 that a joint show becomes possible because of existing contracts for show venues, but who knows? Maybe things will change.