■ By Sharon Thatcher
Rescheduled show set for June 3-4 in Cincinnati
Let’s try this again! The December Construction Rollforming Show (CRS) was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, but we are feeling optimistic about the June show. In fact, registration for attendees is now open, and hotel registrations at reduced rates are available. Go to our website for more details: www.constructionmagnet.com/construction-rollforming-registration. It includes information on exhibitors, programming, show registration, and guest hotel lodging.
We are still finalizing the educational programming but a comprehensive schedule is being planned. Topics range from roll former basics; to the pros and cons of buying vs. leasing; coil and coating warranties; metal types and uses; software; packaging, shipping and delivering products, and much more.
We are pleased to announced that a spokesman for the Building Homes for Heroes organization will kick off the annual trade show with the keynote address. Jim Rogers, Director of Development, will be speaking right from the trade show floor at 1 p.m. on opening day. The trade show floor will open to visitors at noon. You can read more about Jim on page 8.
Gary Reichert, Publisher of Shield Wall Media, the show’s sponsor is optimistic about the resumption of the trade show industry in general. “We keep in regular contact with the exhibition venues for our trade shows,” he said. “Lobbyists are pushing state governments to loosen restrictions and several states have already begun the process. We are not there yet, but the light at the end of the tunnel is looking less like an oncoming train than a few weeks ago.”
Virtual shows have helped fill the void. “Innovation is always good and sometimes successful,” Reichert added. “I do not believe virtual shows will ever replace traditional shows, but they will create one more avenue to deliver information.”
We will provide more details about the Construction Rollforming Show in the April issue of Rollforming Magazine. Also check our website for updates.
The Value of Trade Shows
From a personal perspective, I’m looking forward to the resumption of in-person trade shows. You can’t beat face-to-face interactions. That was a point driven home to me while working on an article for this issue featuring Long Creek Steel in South Dakota. Watching a demonstration at our first Construction Rollforming Show in December 2019, representatives from Long Creek were led to the eventual purchase of a new automated line from SWI. Pat Strouth at LCS shared the company’s journey of decisions to grow their business. Their story can be found in this issue.
Also in this issue is an article on the crazy steel market: an important topic to follow in the months ahead. I enjoyed speaking with insiders who could explain what was happening and why. It also led to an article on the emergence of mini mills and how they are changing the production of steel. 
