Clash of the Expos – Digital Construction Week 2018
This year’s Digital Construction Week (DCW) represented one of the UK’s leading events for software and technology providers to strut their stuff. From new start-ups in the Start-Up Village to established providers, the Excel was a carnival of exciting technology bursting with potential.
Having seen the 2018 exhibition diary for the Digital Construction sector however, I was concerned to see Bentley’s YII 2018 and INTERGEO 2018 and the effects it would have on this year’s attendance.
Would DCW have what it takes to outshine the other events? Can DCW really be considered as the industry’s leading expo? Why are so many events being scheduled within the same period?
My first experience
As a first-timer myself, I was genuinely excited to personally be able to connect with other visitors and exhibitors, deepen my knowledge of solutions and participate in the seminars surrounding leading Digital Construction topics.
Primarily, the level of visualisation technology really caught my eye. I felt AR and VR really stole the show in this regard. Having spent many years being developed, AR and VR is finally making a positive impact on the Digital Construction sector and solutions are now widely available and usable on-site.
We also noticed this year’s show encouraged a higher level of interaction with stands, which included workstations and activities. Noticeably, stands were busier, and feedback was largely positive as a result.
Overshadowed
There’s no hiding from it though, DCW was overshadowed by other London based events. I’m not entirely sure why so many Digital Construction events were scheduled within the same period given the limited number of expos for this sector.
Bentley’s YII 2018 attracted a wealth of media attention which DCW notably lacked. With groundbreaking alliances and updates across the business, the event attracted leaders from across the world who would otherwise be attending DCW. We found many candidates and clients were flicking between both DCW and Bentley’s YII 2018, consequently missing out on various seminars and demos.
Similarly, INTERGEO was also high on people’s expo list this year with notable absences such as GEOSLAM who last year provided a fantastic seminar on mobile mapping.
Nevertheless, the exhibitor’s feedback was positive in respect to the type of audience this year’s DCW did attract. There was almost certainly an uplift in end-users and individuals who are likely to invest in the technology than in 2017, according to exhibitors.
It is clear however that DCW would largely benefit rescheduling the event but given the jampacked calendar and London Build and UK Construction Week falling either side, this could prove a logistical nightmare!
FMC Digital Construction
Missed us? Joe Coleman and I were discussing the results from our 2018 Digital Construction reports which includes salary, industry and recruitment trends.
You can download them for free by clicking below:
The Digital Construction Salary, Bonus and Employee Motivations report
