A Liebherr legend

With over 20 years of experience at Liebherr, Syzdek has become a prominent player in the planning and execution of move-in and tear down of the Liebherr booth at Conexpo.Over the years, he attributes his involvement to relationship management and staying in touch with various stakeholders throughout the three year gap leading up to the Las Vegas show.

“Orginially, I fell into the role. My first Conexpo was in 2005 and over the years it just stuck,” noted Syzdek. “I’m grateful for each experience and the relationships I have built over the last 20 years, and I was able to learn from the absolute best people. Whether you need support in logitisics, trucking, local suppliers, event organizers or any interdeparmental communication – I know someone who can help.”

Currently Szydek serves as the mobile and crawler cranes Manager of Load Out and Tradeshows based out of Houston, Texas. A normal day for Syzdek includes the management and delivery of all mobile and crawler cranes being delivered to ports throughout the nation, as well as coordinating customer deliveries. However, every three years the native Texan heads back to Las Vegas to spend four months supporting the largest construction tradeshow in North America.

Although boots-on-the-ground efforts begin in January, Conexpo planning begins months earlier during the summer season. Throughout the preceding year multiple teams, both domestic and abroad, work tirelessly to make the Liebherr booth come to life.

In January, machines begin to arrive and must be unloaded and moved to storage where they are staged and prepped. This includes assemblying any small booms or components, cleaning machines, checking for damage, and arranging them meticulosly for booth move-in.

Four weeks before the show, Syzdek’s team will work from sun up to sun down to place each machine like a puzzle. The placement and timing of each machine are meticulously planned in sequence, taking into account several logistical factors: the availability and scheduling of transport trucks, the realistic volume of equipment that can be moved and installed within a single day, the spatial footprint of each machine within the booth, and the operational leeway Liebherr has to maneuver equipment beyond the designated booth boundaries. Concentrating on the larger pieces first, Liebherr moves in quickly to get machines set and traffic flowing.

In addition to logisitical requirements, the Liebherr team must account for Nevada’s weather inlcuding heavy rain, wind storms, and a massive amount of dust. As safety is the top priority in all weather, the Liebherr team remains committed to wearing proper PPE, hosting daily safety meetings, and developing action plans for all on-site machines due to high wind possibilities.

Throughout the March show Syzdek arrives first thing to begin scoping booms, cleaning machines, and completing any necessary touch-ups ensuring everything is show room ready. Syzdek takes immense pride in showcasing top quality machines down to the smallest detail. During the day you can find him assisting mobile and crawler salesman or sharing technical expertise with customers.

When Syzdek isn’t working the show, he takes time for much needed rest, enjoys strolling through Fremont Street, and bringing his team together with cookouts at their hotel.“Our team really appreciates the time we have to come together,” noted Syzdek. “A standout moment each Conexpo is the Liebherr Evening event. Our team apprciates being included in a night to celebrate Conexpo and our employees.”

On the very last day of each Conexpo at exactly 3pm, OEMs throughout the fairgrounds begin honking machines, shaking attachments, and cheering for another successful show. Each OEM tries to outlast the other, keeping the celebration going for as long as possible.

“The last minute of Conexpo is always incredibly special and brings a lot of pride to our team. It’s something everyone should witness at least once,” said Syzdek.

As soon as the last horn stops, move out begins. With only two weeks before the next tradeshow comes to Las Vegas, the Liebherr team has 15 days to move out all the machines and tear down the entire booth. Due to the oversized equipment, Liebherr is typically one of the first OEMs to move in and one of the last to move out. By the end of March 2026, Syzdek will officially travel back to Texas – until 2029.

It’s clear to see Syzdek’s influence on the Liebherr team and professionalism across the entirety of the show. Looking back on his 20 years supporting Conexpo Syzdek recalled his major milestones including 2017 when move-in was two weeks instead of four or 2020 when there was uncertainty around the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. With Conexpo 2026 underway, Syzdek looks forward to completing another show and noted “… I still have one or two more left in me.”

Syzdek also heavily attributes his long term involvement of Conexpo to the people who trained him. His gratitude for those Liebherr Legends who came before him is evident in everything he does.

“I want to show my thanks and appreciation to everyone who plays a hand in this endeavor year to year. The Liebherr booth at Conexpo is not possible without our incredible team of people both currently and retired including Merilee Hunt, Tony McDaniels, Verner Haas, Nick Palamari, Mike Kempton, Charlie Jeffcoat, Holger Weld, and Nick Kindl.”