The Equip Exposition 2022, Louisville, Kentucky, was a record-breaking show selling out the entire exhibitor floor and drawing a crowd of more than 25,000.
Attendees came from all 50 states and 49 countries with about 1,000 exhibits to see at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Learning about new technologies was a major draw for many of the show’s visitors, including Kyle DiRosa, who operates GroundUp Lawn Management in Twinsburg, Ohio.
DiRosa runs GroundUp alongside his brother. The duo are third-generation operators of the business.
“We’re here to see what’s out there, what’s bigger, better, and makes us more efficient,” he says.
DiRosa adds that the two biggest challenges his company faces are inventory and labor. They aim to have fewer trucks operating due to rising gas prices which has challenged their efficiency.
Despite this, other technologies displayed at the Equip Exposition might offer some reprieve from the burden of rising fuel costs.
“The different tools that have more than one use and all the different attachments that you can run have been my favorite part of the show so far,” DiRosa says. “It’s just how crazy things have changed over time.”
For Steve Palazzolo of Centralia, Illinois, the Equip Exposition offered the chance to get a firsthand perspective of the advancements in lawn mower and snow plow technology. It was the first time in six years that Palazzolo and his wife, Renee, have visited the show. The two agree that the biggest challenges facing their company, Town and Country Lawn and Landscape, are brining in enough employees as well as a lack of supply for some chemicals necessary for business.
Darrel Weaver, who owns Weaver Turf Power, the show was an opportunity to network with other dealers and manufacturers.
Weaver says the most striking development at this year’s show is the advancement in battery technology.
“I think everybody’s talking about the battery,” Weaver said. “That seems to be the talk of the town. More battery-powered stuff coming out, from mowers to trimmers to everything. Everybody seems to be getting on board with that.
“Batteries have come a long way, but run times are not quite there. So there’s some hesitation of going in that way, you know. Batteries just haven’t had the longevity of people understanding it and understanding it to feel good about running them because they don’t have the track record yet.”
