NPCA professional staff have represented the precast concrete industry at more than 45 water and wastewater-related events since January 2018. The rise in establishing a more active presence in the industry can be attributed to the NPCA Wastewater Treatment Product Committee Optional Ballot and as well as an influx of opportunities from presenting and exhibiting at conferences.
NPCA continued its heavy promotion of quality precast concrete wastewater products in the first quarter of 2020 by participating in 13 water and wastewater-related events spanning coast to coast. Staff members conducted 16 education sessions and exhibited at six of the events.
NPCA began mapping out the 2020 water and wastewater outreach travel schedule in Fall 2019. Several factors were considered in deciding which shows to attend, including size, location, membership involvement, past attendance, other outreach opportunities in the surrounding area and more. Several requests for participation came from show organizers who have worked with NPCA in the past, and other requests were from networking and presenting at past shows.
Educating the water and wastewater industry
NPCA staff conducted education sessions at nearly all of the water and wastewater events in the first quarter of 2020. The result was 16 presentations or 17.5 hours of precast concrete-related education provided to 961 attendees.
Topics included septic tank watertightness, durability, installation and inspection, troubleshooting, MIC and tank buoyancy.
Providing education at water and wastewater industry events benefits NPCA members by addressing local challenges and misconceptions, giving visibility to NPCA professional staff at the conference and cultivating booth traffic for networking opportunities, showcasing the benefits of precast concrete as a material of choice, and creating more opportunities for NPCA involvement in the water and wastewater industry.
Bringing visibility to precast through trade show floor networking
NPCA staff also exhibited at six of the water and wastewater events attended between January and March 2020. The exhibit typically includes NPCA’s water and wastewater booth along with technical handouts such as the
Precast Solutions Water and Wastewater Edition, best practices manuals, a homeowner’s guide to septic tanks brochure, an operation and maintenance manual for gravity grease interceptors and a gravity grease interceptor white paper. Exhibiting at water and wastewater events offers an opportunity for NPCA professional staff to discuss with attendees and better understand the industry within the region.
The impact of representation
NPCA’s participation in water and wastewater events is crucial for both NPCA members and the precast industry. While the association works to create opportunities for our members through education and exhibiting at water and wastewater events, we encourage NPCA members to get involved in local events as well. Your level of participation can be as little as sending a company representative to check out the trade show or as involved as offering an education session and exhibiting – any amount of involvement is an opportunity to connect with your local water and wastewater community. If you would like guidance on how to get involved, contact Ashley Benson, NPCA’s outreach coordinator, at [email protected].
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