Northeast Hardscape Expo Hits Hartford Mid-March

PREMIERE HARDSCAPE AND LANDSCAPE EVENT WILL ATTRACT THOUSANDS TO DOWNTOWN REGION

Don’t be alarmed if you hear the pounding of compactors, scrapping of screed boards and the whirring of cut-off saws coming from the Connecticut Convention Center on Wednesday, March 16 and Thursday, March 17. It’s not a major remodeling, but rather, the Northeast Hardscape Expo. The premiere, regional trade event, which attracts thousands of attendees working within the hard surface construction and landscaping industries, is set to deliver a power-packed agenda consisting of educational sessions, an installer competition, a flying drone zone area and hundreds of exhibitors – all inside the building.

“We cannot express how grateful we are for the support of the City of Hartford for allowing us to plan and execute an event of this magnitude completely indoors,” said Larry Nicolai, Chairman of the Board of New England Concrete Manufacturers Association. “We know that all participants will be amazed at the number of engaging activities we have lined up for this two-day bonanza.”

Specific classes led by various industry sector experts include such topics as theory of base installation, raised patio techniques, successful landscape design elements, incorporating drone technology to increase company ROI, new OSHA standards for construction, Quickbooks for contractors and producing plant containers for exceptional impact, among others.

As in past Hardscape Expos, the popular installer competition will offer an exciting ‘event within an event’ as 16 teams race against the clock to create a hardscape installation that exhibits the highest safety, quality, and craftsmanship standards. Through a series of preliminary and championship rounds, the winning team will be awarded $10,000 and represent the Northeast at Hardscape North America’s “National Installer Competition”.

“The competition tests and recognizes the skill, dedication, and passion of hardscape contractors from the New England states as well as New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and always draws a hollering crowd,” adds Brian Scanlon, Executive Director of NECMA.

New to this year’s event is an enmeshed Drone Zone hosted by Hartford-based Aquiline Drones in which attendees can experience the ease of flying commercial drones and how UAV technology can help streamline and improve company profits. Aquiline Drones will also be exhibiting a variety of its commercial drone models including the Spartacus Max and Spartacus Hurricane to help participants select the most appropriate technology for their particular business activities.

Additionally, the New England Concrete Manufacturers Association is hosting a “Connecticut Career Day”, a comprehensive two-day educational and career opportunity experience, intended to capture the attention and imagination of Connecticut vocational technical students and their parents by connecting them to industry leaders and owners of companies doing business in the hardscape and masonry industry. The program is appropriate for undergraduates as they climb the ladder of learning by honing their skills and expanding their knowledge.