View of the expo floor at World of Asphalt 2024 held in Nashville, Tennessee, US. (Image: World of Asphalt)

For Brittany Schmidtke, director of exhibitions and project management for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which organises World of Asphalt (WOA), this year鈥檚 show is about more than just equipment 鈥� it鈥檚 about networking, innovation, and tackling industry challenges head-on.

鈥淎ttendees are telling us they want more opportunities to connect,鈥� Schmidtke told Construction Briefing.

She said new this year will be a 鈥淐ommunity Zone鈥� on the show floor, which will offer a lounge area and quick-hit discussions on topics like work zone safety, mental wellness and advocacy.

Trends shaping construction at World of Concrete 2025 The 2025 edition of the World of Concrete has wrapped, here鈥檚 three keys from the expo

鈥淭his area is all about bringing the industry together in an informal setting,鈥� Schmidtke said.

鈥淭he expo centre allows us to expand our exhibit space while also improving the attendee experience. With more room, we can provide better traffic flow, more food options, and places for attendees to sit and network.鈥�

The host city, St. Louis, will be a new one for WOA this year.

Schmidtke said the city was chosen for its accessibility to key US asphalt markets in the Midwest, Southeast, and Texas, as well as its ability to accommodate the show鈥檚 growing footprint.

Exhibitor numbers for WOA grew to 430 companies this year, with many taking larger booths to showcase bigger, more advanced machinery, Schmidtke said.

What鈥檚 trending? AI, sustainability, and workforce challenges

Strabag trialled the autonomous asphalt paver on a section of the A9 near Graz in Austria (Image: Strabag)

The asphalt industry faces some of the same challenges and solutions as the rest of construction, with some unique caveats.

Schmidtke said this year鈥檚 technical education sessions, hands-on learning, and general conversations will revolve around several key themes considered most pressing to the industry, including:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) in asphalt production and application 鈥� AI鈥檚 role in equipment operation and production is expanding. WOA will feature discussions on how AI is improving efficiency, quality control and automation in asphalt paving.
• Sustainability and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) 鈥� Asphalt is one of the most recycled materials in the world, and there鈥檚 growing interest in standardizing RAP usage across different states. Schmidtke said the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) is pushing for a more uniform approach to RAP regulations, which will be a popular talking point at this year鈥檚 expo.
• Workforce development & efficiency 鈥� With continued labour shortages, Schmidtke said this year鈥檚 WOA will have a strong focus on workforce training, recruitment, and making construction careers more appealing to younger generations. Many exhibitors are showcasing efficiency-boosting technologies to help contractors get more done with smaller crews.

The 2025 edition of World of Asphalt runs March 25-27 at America鈥檚 Center Convention Complex in downtown St. Louis.

Liebherr to 鈥榮hape the future鈥� at Bauma More than 70 exhibits in four separate booths

OEM premieres and presentations at World of Asphalt 2025

鈥婣t the upcoming World of Asphalt 2025 in St. Louis, several major companies are set to unveil new products and technologies:鈥�

Wirtgen Group鈥檚 world premieres

Wirtgen Group W 210 XF Large Milling Machine (Image: Wirtgen Group)

Germany-based Wirtgen Group will introduce several innovations:鈥�

• W 210 Fi Cold Milling Machine: Features advanced milling technology for efficient and precise asphalt removal
• V枚gele SUPER 2000-3i Paver: Designed for high-quality asphalt paving, ensures uniform material distribution and smooth surface finishes.
• Hamm HD+ 120i VIO-2-HF Tandem Roller: features two VIO drums that offer both vibration and oscillation compaction modes. Its high-frequency compaction technology is designed for increased efficiency on asphalt surfaces, ensuring uniform density while reducing passes required.

Liebherr鈥檚 featured equipment

Liebherr L566 wheel loader (Image: Liebherr)

Liebherr USA, a regional affiliate of German-Swiss OEM Liebherr, will showcase:鈥�

• L 566 XPower Wheel Loader: Known for its productivity and versatility, this loader is suitable for aggregate, asphalt and pavement projects. 鈥�
• TA 230 Articulated Dump Truck: Designed for rugged off-road use, this truck features an automatic 8-speed powershift transmission and a D956 diesel engine. 鈥�
• R 914 Compact Crawler Excavator: Ideal for narrow job sites, this excavator offers powerful and precise capabilities, making it suitable for urban applications and motorways. 鈥�

Develon鈥檚 showcase

The Develon DL280-7 wheeled loader at World of Concrete in January 2025 (Image: Mitchell Keller)

Develon will showcase three machines designed for asphalt paving and aggregates professionals:

• DD130 dozer 鈥� Engineered for optimal surface preparation, this dozer features a 2D grade control system and fleet management, with an option for a 3D machine guidance and control system.
• DTL35 compact track loader 鈥� A high-speed track loader ideal for moving materials like sand, gravel and asphalt mix. It supports more than one dozen attachments.
• DL280-7 wheel loader 鈥� This wheel loader is well-suited for asphalt operations with a 3-cubic-yard bucket, transparent bucket technology for improved visibility and a high-lift configuration option for easier truck loading.