The Tilt-Up Convention and Expo, presented by Concrete Strategies Inc., Leviat, and White Cap, continues to deliver the most valuable education and technology that the industry has to offer, and after a year of adjusting to virtual events in 2020, being together again meant more than it ever has before.  

“Being able to have an in-person convention this year was so important for our industry,” said Amy Luchun, principal at Lamar Johnson Collaborative. “Bringing together the field knowledge with the designers and vendors all under one platform, from the outdoor demo to the expo and education sessions, gave many opportunities for collaboration, conversation, and knowledge sharing.”

The event presented attendees with nearly 20 hours of tilt-up specific education. Day one of education ranged from reducing tilt-up construction’s carbon footprint to cost estimating and post-tensioned applications, and day two broke into two separate tracks: the Design Track, sponsored by Dayton Superior Corporation and Needham DBS, and the Construction Track, sponsored by IconX LLC and Seretta Construction. The event ended with a conversation on the industry’s young talent. 

“Being able to interact with people in person was priceless,” said Nicole Laiho, vice president of Peak Engineering. “The TCA once again did an outstanding job of putting together a valuable program for designers and contractors. The addition of the Tilt-up Industry Leaders of Tomorrow panel was invaluable for those of us in management and dealing with the needs of the workforce,” said Laiho. “It was very beneficial to start a dialogue between the generations to help bridge the gap between management and today’s young employees.”

Within the Engineering Track, Marc Maguire, assistant professor of construction programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, covered the testing and analysis of 23 total 41 ft long composite walls and solid-wall panels. Walls were designed using typical loading and five different wythe connectors. An updated version of the slender-wall design method for partially composite insulated walls was presented.

“Dr. Maguire and the insulated wall panel testing committee had the engineers’ attention,” said Joel Foderberg, CEO of IconX LLC. “Marc crammed a PhD thesis into a three-hour lecture,” said Foderberg. “More information was provided than ever before on the subject of wall panel design, and there is still more information to come!”

In addition to the invaluable education offered at the event, the exhibit hall at the Tilt-Up Convention and Expo showcases the industry’s newest products and technology available today. These products provide means and methods to save time and money on (and even to improve the look of) their next projects. Companies represented in the exhibit hall assist in the advanced technological, design, and construction capabilities that are available today, and they play a vital role in the growth and development of the industry. 

Exhibiting companies are not only able to take advantage of the numerous networking opportunities to engage attendees, but often use this opportunity to attend education sessions to learn what challenges are facing the industry, and better serve customers through problem solving and innovation.

“The classes and meetings that happen during the convention is the real muscle of the industry,” said Cliff Saunders, western US account manager at GluDown Inc. “This is where everyone is gaining knowledge, in some shape or form, to gain better insight and skill that takes them and their company to the next level.”

Post-event 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 attendance. Thirty-five percent of respondents say they will save at least $5,000, and 17% say they will save more than $10,000 on their next project. Most importantly, well over 90% of attendees say they learned something at the convention that will make their jobsite, or that of their clients, safer. 

To view the full education lineup and a list of exhibiting companies, please visit www.tilt-up.org/events. On behalf of the TCA staff and board of directors: Thank you to everyone who was a part of this year’s event! We look forward to seeing you in Denver for the 2022 Tilt-Up Convention and Expo on October 4–6.