April 2020 Vol. 75 No. 4
UCT 2020
UCT Showstopper Winners Draw Attention
Three companies exhibiting at the 2020 Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT) took home prestigious UCT Show Stopper Awards earlier this year. Winners were:
- Evolution Drilling Systems – a full-service directional drilling tool and equipment rental company
- Radius HDD – manufacturer of tools for horizontal directional drilling (HDD), and
- Warren Environmental – manufacturer of 100-percent epoxy coating products.
Factors considered during judging included exhibit design, how products and services are displayed within the exhibit, and the level of attention the exhibit generated among attendees.
ShowStopper winners were selected by judges who collectively are knowledgeable of all the varied technologies used in underground construction, repair and maintenance, and rehabilitation. Judges walked the exhibit floor during exhibit hours on the first day of the show, looking for exhibits that stood out and caused attendees to stop to learn more about the exhibitor’s products or services.
While new products tend to attract attention, displaying new products or services was not a requirement for being considered for a Show Stopper Award.
Evolution Drilling Systems
The company’s products are large and painted with the bright corporate green color, which was very attention-getting.
“At the front of the space, we positioned our new 24-inch push/pull PDC reamer,” said Jason Palmer, chief technology officer. “Large and green, you could not miss it.”
On one side of the booth was a large-diameter PDC reamer in a bed of rocks; on the opposite side were small-diameter PDC tools and pilot bits displayed on a large boulder positioned on another bed of rocks.
“In the middle,” Palmer said, “was a table, also on a rock bed, created using another large PDC reamer with a clear lucite table top. Several people wanted to buy the table – until we quoted them a price.”
Colors of tools and rocks contrasted with the stressed wood flooring of the exhibit area.
Palmer said prior to the show, Evolution contacted customers, inviting them to visit Evolution’s booth at the show. “It was a good show this year,” he concluded.
Warren Environmental
The design of Warren’s 2020 UCT exhibit addressed multiple goals.
“The booth concept was designed to promote Warren’s identity as the premier manufacturer of epoxy coating products and to include messages that it is important for customers to know about our products and their capabilities,” said Marketing Manager Vicci Messina.
“Our tower with lighted logo emblem could be seen anywhere within the exhibition hall, making it easy for attendees to find us,” she continued. “It also sparked enough interest in attendees to want to learn more about our company.”
To showcase products, there were two sample walls off the main tower. To make the exhibit interactive, iPads and a flat screen television on the main tower allowed presentations of videos and documents, with the option to show images on a flat screen for larger groups.
“It also was important that the layout feel open and inviting,
but allow for one-on-one conversations to happen throughout,” said Messina.
To encourage visits to the exhibit and document its presence at the show, Warren sent “e-blasts” to its mailing list, and posted information on social media before, during and after UCT.
“UCT is a preferred show for us each year,” Messina concluded. “The quality of attendees is of utmost importance to us. Although an overarching goal in 2020 was to increase awareness of Warren Environmental, we are focused on identifying qualified leads with potential clients.”
Radius HDD
“Dominating the center of the show floor, our giant logo background and abundant lighting made our booth easy to find,” said Radius President Riff Wright. “Our booth was filled with a variety of HDD products for all sizes and brands of drilling rigs – from various pilot bits and sonde housings, to a full range of reamer sizes and designs.”
Radius featured its newly patented Overbit reamer for 15,000- to 40,000-pound HDD rigs.
Radius has attended every UCT since the company was established in 2006.
“Our booth is designed for drillers to come in and talk,” Wright said. “We do not consider UCT a ‘selling’ show, but we always leave with new business relationships, as well as strengthening existing ones.
“Relationships are important, and the UCT show allows us to connect with contractors in a way that is difficult to repeat elsewhere, and as an HDD tooling designer, it offers us a great ‘ear to the ground’ for information about the underground industry.
“I can say each show has contributed to our success.”
Wright also recognizes the importance of pre-show promotion.
“Our marketing team does a great job to promote the show through a number of channels,” he said. “Social media and digital marketing are always effective at raising awareness and inviting contractors to attend.” •
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Evolution Drilling Tools, (940) 663-5747, evolutiondrillingtools.com
Warren Environmental, (508) 947-8539, warrenenviro.com
Radius HDD Tools, (800) 892-9114, radiushdd.com
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