Snow covers the ground and the frigid temperatures have returned where I live in Northern Wisconsin. Winter is here. For many in the northern U.S., it also means there is a slow down in work.

Many contractors shift from doing the utility construction work to snow plowing in these areas. It’s not a bad gig to get into when your prime business is in the warm spring, summer and fall seasons, but you still need something to do in the winter months. 

For those that don’t, it means layoffs for employees until that nicer weather comes. Every company handles the change in season and work patterns differently. There is no right or wrong way to do it, it’s just a matter of what fits best for you and your service area. 

This season is also a great time to get yourself and your crews some of that extra training and education that is needed to grow as an individual and company. This is the time of the year that industry trade shows take place. 

RACING TO INDY

The first show coming up for this industry in the new year is the Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment and Transport (WWETT) Show in Indianapolis being held Jan. 24-27 at the Indiana Convention Center. 

Education sessions ranging from training your employees on vacuum trucks to business and safety tracks fill three days of the show week, giving you and your team great opportunities to hear from the experts and connect with others in the same industry facing the same challenges you are. 

The expo floor will feature hundreds of exhibitors likely showing off equipment that you are already looking to add to your fleet or will give you ideas of services you want to add to your offerings. 

It’s a great time to sneak away to this show as work is typically slower for most companies. Take a look at the show’s website at wwettshow.com and plan your trip to Indy! 

NO-DIG TIME

One of the next shows coming up for the industry arrives a short time later in April. The NASTT No-Dig Show will be held April 14-18 in Providence, Rhode Island, this year. 

This is a show that is very case-study and educational based. There is a expo hall component to it that is open three hours each day, but the rest of the No-Dig Show is various tracks ranging from CIPP to vacuum excavation and everything underground related in-between. You get to hear contractors who have done the work on projects talking about the projects and what they’ve learned.

It’s a great opportunity to hear what they learned on the job and how that could help you and your team on your next project. 

FILLING YOUR TIME

There are many smaller, more regional shows that you could attend as well. No matter what you decide to do — attend a trade show, find some work in the winter, or take time to get ready for next summer — do it with the dedication you have during your busy season. 

Your business will grow as a result of any route you decide to take.

Let me know what you and your company do during the “slower months” of winter. I can be reached at 715-350-8436 and editor@digdifferent.com.