The GIE+EXPO (Green Industry & Equipment Expo), co-located with Hardscape North America, was held on Oct. 17 through 19 at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Ky.
Sponsored by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute Inc. (OPEI), Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) and National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), the show is billed as the largest trade show of its kind. The annual event featured more than 850 exhibitors presenting the latest in equipment, products and services, including lawn and garden equipment, outdoor power equipment, light construction and landscape equipment and products.
On the opening day of the event, GIE+EXPO and Hardscape North America kicked off with a dealer preview for dealers, retailers and distributors from noon to 3 p.m. before opening to all attendees for the remainder of the show.
In all, more than 20,000 landscape contractors, exhibitors and other industry professionals and students attended the three-day event.
The trade show encompassed more than 500,000 sq. ft. of inside exhibit space along with a 20-acre outdoor area for additional equipment displays and live demonstrations.
The event featured a variety of educational sessions and seminars, including business management courses designed for owners and managers, and basic- and advanced-level hands-on training and certification sessions for technicians.
In addition to far-ranging opportunities to learn about new technologies, management techniques and technical skills, the event offered ample time for networking and entertainment, including a free concert series sponsored by Bob-Cat Mowers on Oct. 16 and 17 on the Mercedes-Benz Vans Stage in downtown Louisville. The show featured Colt Ford and Jana Kramer with opening acts Kelleigh Bannen and Mackenzie Porter.
Many of the exhibiting manufacturers showcased new equipment and product lines at the event, including Caterpillar's introduction of the company's new 903D compact wheel loader, new 5-Seat UTV and attachments, Case Construction's new TV450 compact track loader, a lineup of new C-Series compact excavators from New Holland, Vermeer's new BC1800XL gas brush chipper and S925TX mini-skid steer, as well as new equipment from Kubota Tractor Corporation, Ariens & Gravely, Briggs & Stratton, Stihl and Toro.
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Jake Heshelman of PawPaw Valley Farm, Williams, Ind., puts a Bobcat T650 compact track loader through its paces.
(L-R): Recently awarded Avant Tecno USA Dealer of the Year, Alta Equipment Company’s Jim Proctor; Bill Theile; and Vice President of Rental & Inventory Aaron Dorgan are congratulated by Avant Tecno USA’s Jani Kakela and Jaako Jytila.
Caterpillar’s new 5-Seat UTV attracted a lot of attention at the company’s outdoor equipment display and demo area.
Michael Huhn (L) of Michael Huhn Services was impressed with the handling of this Case 580 Super N backhoe. Here, he gets details on the machine from Eric Zieser of Case Construction Equipment.
Jim Haroldson (L) of ASV gives Patrick Barton of Earthworks Lawn & Tree, South Dartmouth, Mass., some operating tips on this RT-75 track loader before he tries out the machine.
John Deere’s Bailey Perry reviews equipment with Jonathan Welch of Welch’s Lawncare, Cullman, Ala.
Mike Bourke of the local Bandit dealership, Louisville Tractor, lent a hand at the Bandit Equipment display at the show.
Kubota Tractor Corporation’s Matt Guentter (L) gives some operating tips to young entrepreneur, Karson Fosdick of Karson’s Lawn Care, Brazil, Ind.
JCB’s Chris Trampush was ready to field questions about the company’s special edition 3TS-8T compact track loader with a telescopic boom. The company is celebrating 25 years of skid steer innovation.
(L-R): At Boss Snow Plow’s equipment display, Katie Schinderle, Amy Mendini and Gordie Pepin were ready to talk snow & ice control, including the company’s recently introduced DRAG PRO, a rear-mounted truck plow designed to pull snow from the back.
(L-R): Franklin Equipment’s John O’Brien, Dave Stimpert, Cliff Dennis and Frank Dudzik were ready to speak with attendees about the dealership’s line of New Holland, Wacker Neuson, Husqvarna and other equipment.
At Ford Commercial Vehicles’ exhibit, Joe Popp (L) and Larry Wyatt discuss the company’s F-350 upfitted for professional landscape applications.
Stihl President Bjoern Fischer announces the company’s new equipment lineup at the show.
Rachel Boutet and David Font of DFD Loaders chose GIE+Expo to help serve as the U.S. launch of German company Schäffer’s brand of compact and telescopic articulated loaders.
(L-R): MultiOne’s Kyle Turner and Doug Campbell were pleased that Ryan Barber of Commercial Property Maintenance, Knoxville, Tenn., purchased a 7.3S mini-loader at the show. They are joined by Benny Beverly of Stumped, also based in Knoxville.
Vermeer’s Olivia Carrasco discusses features of the company’s CTX100 mini-skid steer with Adam Devins of Kelly Landscape Contracting, Milwaukee, Wis.
(L-R): Judd Tyson and Matt Menser of Tyson Lawn Care, Nortonville, Ky., spoke with Buyers Product’s Dave Zelis about snow and ice control equipment.
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