The biennial Utility Expo returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, October 7-9.
Registration is open for North America’s industry event for utility and construction professionals. Taking place October 7-9, at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, this biennial event showcases the latest innovations, equipment and solutions in the largest trade show dedicated to utility and construction.
More than 900 companies will exhibit their equipment, tools and technology dedicated to transmission and distribution of utilities to accommodate modern life, including electric, gas, telecommunications and water. Nearly 80 fluid power companies will highlight new and legacy technologies used to help power and hold aerial lifts and demo machines used in utility work.
This year’s Utility Expo, which is well-known for its hands-on equipment test drives and interactive demonstrations, will be introducing several new features including:
- The HDD Rodeo, a horizontal directional drilling competition where top drilling crews will compete across 8 lanes for prizes, including advanced equipment packages and cash awards.
- The expo also strengthens its commitment to safety through partnerships with the Common Ground Alliance (cga), to promote National Safe Digging Month, emphasizing the critical importance of calling 811 before excavation to prevent underground utility damage.
- Recognizing the mental health of construction professionals in the utility sector, a partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp) aims to raise awareness and provide resources for mental health support within the utility workforce.
- The NUCA Equipment Operators Challenge, brings competitors together to operate equipment in challenging games like hole-in-one putting, soccer, corn hole, a water slide challenge, and a pipe placement challenge.
- Expanded education includes more field classrooms and a lunch symposia
- Co-located Women’s Conference, Power to ADVANCE Women in Utilities (Professional development workshop)
Keeping the industry moving
Nearly 80 fluid power exhibitors will be at the event, with a majority being hydraulics providers as well as some key compressed air technologies.
For example, ELGi will present two portable air compressors for demanding jobsite conditions at booth S3142. The GP35 is built for utility contractors tackling demanding jobs like fiber optic cable installation. It delivers 35 cfm at 218 psi and is powered by a 23 hp Vanguard gas engine with electric start, providing reliable performance and quick startup in the field. ELGi’s D185T4F durable and versatile portable air compressor delivers 185 cfm at 100 psi. It runs on a Kohler KDI diesel engine and is designed for general utility work, including sandblasting and powering pneumatic tools.
Over at Bailey International’s booth Booth N1249, all of its brands, including Chief, Maxim, Hydro Custom, and Sure Grip Controls, will be on display. Bailey will focus this year’s booth on the work truck market, demonstrating how work truck applications integrate with industries like construction, utility services, municipal work, MEWPs, material handling, and waste & recycling. The overlap between these industries and work trucks will come to life with practical examples and interactive experiences.
At booth S3363, Dixon’s Modular Connection System (mcs) will be the focus. This system is an easy-to-use, versatile solution for connecting multiple couplings at once. They will be offering hands-on demonstrations. Visitors will be able to explore Dixon’s full line of hydraulic and pneumatic quick couplings as well.
LunchBox Sessions will be at Utility Expo in booth S4554 to showcase its on-screen, colorful, interactive Live Schematics’ online learning system. LunchBox Sessions offers a hands-on approach of experimenting, tinkering and adjusting. Visitors will be able to pull hydraulic valve levers, adjust pump controls and change pressure relief valve settings and see the results of their actions instantly and safely on-screen as the flow arrows move and the pressure colors change. Hydraulic system schematics are full of confusing symbols that make troubleshooting work challenging. Technicians learn safe maintenance and troubleshooting skills much faster with symbols, schematics and component cutaways that come to life on a tablet or PC.
Over at the Coxreels booth N914, the focus will be on their spring rewind welding hose and cable reels, dual hydraulic hose reels, fuel hose reels, grounding cable reels, and air/water reels. Their lines include several key features such as CPC powder coat finish which is long lasting, chip resistant and rust inhibiting; brass swivels for external fluid path and simple seal maintenance. Its EZ-Coil series will be on display. This patented safety system retracts up to 80% slower than conventional reels. Finally, its Direct Drive motors feature a solid ring gear is welded to the disc for a direct gear driven motor.
HAWE Hydraulik will have a variety of its state-of-the-art products on display in booth S3938. New technologies will include its VIPR Valve, an intelligent valve cartridge that uses AI for commissioning, operation and adaptation to new control tasks. Its Electrification Wall will highlight HAWE’s wide range of electrification products: battery Pack, IEP, MPU, PSL-CAN, and PDU. Its C41V axial piston pump is designed for open circuits in mobile hydraulics and operates on the swash plate principle. One of its newest products, the MICK proportional directional spool valve type is a combination of the proportional directional spool valve type PSL and specially designed 8/3-way diverter valves which are flanged-mounted on the PSL sections. HAWE will also feature many of its standard valve and pump lines.
Safety and education at the core
Utility Expo offers a core focus on safety, with several walking field classrooms throughout the event. In addition to topics on safety, electrical hazards, aerial devices and more, the event has offered an Equipment Hydraulics field classroom for the last several years. Registration is required for the 90-minute sessions, which are limited to 30 people.
Hydraulic systems play a crucial role in utility machinery. In this walking classroom through the show floor, attendees will understand how the hydraulic systems of equipment can work to achieve their utility and construction project goals. They will:
- Understand the variety of hydraulic systems and the best applications for each.
- Learn how to evaluate their company’s needs to select the right hydraulic system.
- Gain key insights on a comprehensive maintenance program and the best oil type for their workflow.
Visit utilityexpo.com for more details and to register.
