VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: New York State Hard Hat Expo
Vincent Zakian: Construction noises are nothing new to Syracuse residents, but if you’ve ever wanted an inside look at the machinery behind it all, the Hard Hat Expo at the New York State Fairgrounds is the place for you.
Mike Drellock: This is very effective for supporting local business, our local dealership in this area, that’s what we do. So yeah, it is very important for that. It supports the industry in this entire area. What draws people is a chance for them to interact with their dealer representatives. So it gives them a chance to see what’s new as far as equipment is concerned.
Zakian: The expo provides a look at an industry constantly advancing and in need of innovation.
Taylor: It’s a great outlet to see the upcoming products that are out there that could help your industry. Whether that’s getting a new mower for a landscaping company or a large excavator for a big quarry.
Zakian: It is even creating opportunities for education.
Rachael Shelanskey: Right now, in the Syracuse area, obviously there is a ton of construction projects going on, so they’re doing a huge amount of trades and getting people out into the workforce, and educating people so they can run heavy equipment. We’re really trying to pump up that workforce and get some more people involved in the area.
Zakian: And with hundreds of millions of dollars being poured into various government and private housing initiatives throughout Central New York in recent years, the Hard Hat Expo has never been more relevant.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – The New York State Fairgrounds hosted the Hard Hat Expo March 19 and 20. The expo provided a look at all the latest technology in landscaping and construction and has been doing so in Syracuse for nearly forty years.
The event provides opportunities for networking, but also builds community in the local construction business. Crucially, it is also a major way to support local business.
“This is very effective for supporting local business…important for that. It supports the industry in this entire area. What draws people is a chance for them to interact with their dealer representatives. So it gives them a chance to see what’s new as far as equipment is concerned,” said Mike Drellock a representative from Hitachi Construction Machinery.
The expo is the premiere place to see a technological industry that is rapidly advancing, and also creates lanes for resale businesses to take a look at future products.
“It’s a great outlet to see the upcoming products that are out there that could help your industry. Whether that’s getting a new mower for a landscaping company or a large excavator for a big quarry,” said Taylor, a representative from aarauctions.com.
One slightly surprising aspect of the expo is the education piece of it. The massive amount of construction going on in Central New York is only going to go up in the warm weather, leading to demand for people that can operate the remarkable but dangerous machinery on display at the Hard Hat Expo. That demand creates the need for education, and many at the expo are there to provide that.
“Right now, in the Syracuse area, obviously there is a ton of construction projects going on, so they’re doing a huge amount of trades and getting people out into the workforce, and educating people so they can run heavy equipment. We’re really trying to pump up that workforce and get some more people involved in the area,” said Rachael Shelanskey, a representative from construction education center Citi BOCES.
As Syracuse and surrounding areas in Central New York continue to pour millions of dollars into mass construction and housing initiatives, the importance of education, safety, and technological advancement in the field increases. Therefore, events like the Hard Hat Expo are extremely relevant, and worth viewing even just to understand what might be going on in your community.