Eighty big pieces of construction equipment, including excavators, cranes and asphalt pavers, painted yellow, green and red are on exhibit on the National Mall, in front of the Smithsonian Castle, Sunday through Tuesday.
“The reason why we’re here, over the next three days is to really put a spotlight on all the great stuff that is happening in today’s construction industry,” said Nick Tindall, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
The association views the exhibit as a celebration of construction equipment manufactured across the United States and worldwide.
“First of all, all kids, big and small love big equipment. It’s just exciting to look at and even the little stuff is just really fascinating as well. People will be able to get inside the cabs and experience it and understand how much technology goes into the pieces of equipment. They’re not just big chunks of iron, they’re rolling computers,” said Tindall.
Many familiar name brands seen at building and road construction sites are represented at the exhibit, including Bobcat, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Kubota, Volvo and Wirtgen.
The mobile machinery provides an interesting sight on the grassy mall with the Washington Monument looming in the west and the Capitol Dome rising in the east.
Some technological advances in the equipment are meant to improve workplace safety and continue sustainability efforts.
Volvo is displaying a line of electric vehicles, even one powered by hydrogen. Develon and Bobcat are sporting new collision avoidance systems and there’s a growing dimension of autonomous systems in some of the equipment.
“We have tons of stuff for kids: bean bag toss, there’s a sand pit, we’re handing out all kinds of different cool toys and some coloring books with crayons and there’s even a slushy machines around here somewhere,” said Tindall.
