Since its inception, the Tilt-Up Convention and Expo has delivered the industry’s most valuable education and technology. The event began its momentum in Houston in 2013 with record-breaking attendance, upgrades to the Tilt-Up Awards Gala and Outdoor Demos, the introduction of host committees, and the reintroduction of the design and construction tracks. That year was a pivot point for the industry’s largest annual event and it has been progressing ever since. 

In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic challenged the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) to modify the event to deliver education and technology to the industry unlike ever before. Unable to gather in person, the TCA partnered with White Cap, Meadow Burke, and numerous other event sponsors and exhibitors to virtually present the Convention and Expo in The Aggregate. “With Zoom fatigue sweeping the nation, we had to prepare ourselves to deliver content in an innovative way,” said Mitch Bloomquist, executive director of the TCA. “A week of Zoom meetings was never an option, and after hundreds of hours searching for just the right solution, we were thrilled to be able to hold the event in The Aggregate.” (For more information on The Aggregate, please visit www.theaggregate.world.)

The event, presented by White Cap and Meadow Burke, featured 31 exhibitors, over 20 hours of education specifically related to tilt-up construction, virtual job-site tours, on-demand content, awards, networking, demos, and much more. 

“The annual Tilt-Up Convention and Expo is vital to the growth and prosperity of tilt-up construction,” said Brad Nesset, former president of the TCA. “Without the annual event, members would miss out on invaluable information about safety practices and productivity improvements, not to mention an overall sharing of best practices,” continued Nesset. “The TCA has, without a doubt, one of the most collaborative membership communities in the construction industry and—on behalf of Meadow Burke, Thermomass, and HALFEN—we are proud to help facilitate the annual convention with our sponsorship of the event.”

As always, this year’s education program was designed to provide attendees with valuable knowledge that may be applied directly to tilt-up jobs. The event featured general sessions; a construction track sponsored by Construction Materials and Seretta Construction, Inc.; a design track sponsored by Dayton Superior Corporation, Insteel Wire Products, and Needham DBS; and keynotes sponsored by Innovative Structural Solutions. Education topics ranged from “Tilt-Up 101” (for those new to the industry and/or the construction method) to more advanced topics and case studies on tilt-up’s architectural, engineering, and construction capabilities. 

“I was blown away by the technology and the amount of information that the TCA was able to put out there and make accessible to us all,” said Geoff Jamieson, engineering manager at Lindsay Construction. “It was incredible, and I’m still trying to find the time to take it all in.”

Postevent surveys show 92% of attendees estimate they will save their company or clients at least $2,000 on their next project as a direct result of their participation at the event. In addition, 35% of respondents believe they will save at least $5,000, and 17% think they will save more than $10,000 on their next project. Most importantly, well over 90% of attendees said they learned something at the convention that will make their own or their clients’ jobsites safer. 

“I particularly enjoyed participating in the different education tracks,” said Rick Galloway, executive vice president of Martin Concrete. “I was able to attend many of the construction-track talks and enjoyed the ability to check in and out as I could throughout my workday. The information gleaned from the speakers always more than pays for the cost of attending a TCA Convention, and since we didn’t have any travel cost and registration was free for members, this was even a greater benefit this year.”

One of this year’s keynote presentations that offered education specifically regarding tilt-up construction was sponsored by Innovative Structural Solutions and offered by Rebecca Ryan, founder of Next Generation Consulting, Inc. In her speech (entitled “Snap Back or Something Else?”), Ryan took attendees inside the US military, NATO, Fortune 500 companies, the World Bank, and other organizations that use foresight techniques to navigate disruption and shape the future. 

In addition to the invaluable education offered at the event, the exhibit hall at the Tilt-Up Convention and Expo showcased, as always, the industry’s newest products and technologies. These products provide the means and methods to save time and money on projects, and some even have the potential to enhance a project’s final appearance. Companies represented in the exhibit hall highlighted the advanced technological, design, and construction capabilities that are available today, which play vital roles in the growth and development of the industry. 

“There is no other venue where you can view and discuss all the current products for the tilt-up industry within a few hours,” said Shawn Hickey, president of SiteCast Construction Corp. “Establishing a continued dialogue and support with these exhibitors is as critical to business success as maintaining relationships with your clients.”

The Aggregate featured an expandable expo hall that allowed exhibiting companies to invite attendees to their booth and interact as if they were walking through a live exhibit hall. Each day was themed and featured specific exhibitors who offer products and technologies that fit with each theme. From “Saving Time, Money, and Lives” to “Exploring Architectural Finishes,” attendees were encouraged to explore the expo hall throughout the duration of the event.

“The exhibit hall was probably the thing that I experienced in the virtual world that most closely mirrored real life,” said Galloway. “Going from booth to booth and interacting with the different vendors was more than just informative, it was also fun.”

Exhibiting companies at the Tilt-Up Convention and Expo were not only able to take advantage of the numerous networking opportunities to engage attendees in the expo hall, but they also were invited to attend educational sessions that discussed challenges that are facing the industry and learn how they might better serve their customers through problem solving and innovation.

“As a company new to the tilt-up industry, we needed a platform to meet with decision makers and those influential to the market,” said Marcus Blackburn of Innovative Structural Solutions.  “Not only did we accomplish that goal in a meaningful way, but we also found ourselves learning so much from the lectures, demonstrations, and other exhibitors,” said Blackburn. “We appreciate the great lengths the TCA took to make a convention happen despite the difficulty presented by COVID-19, and feel this shows their dedication to continuously push the industry forward despite challenges.”

To view the full education lineup and a list of exhibiting companies, please visit www.tilt-up.org/events. 

The TCA staff and board of directors thanks everyone who took part in this year’s event! If we’re able to gather in person next year, we look forward to seeing you in St. Louis for the 2021 Tilt-Up Convention and Expo on September 16–18.