It's 50 years since bauma first opened its showcase of the world's latest buiding machinery and equipment. This month the 27th in the series of expos opens with an even larger number of exhibitors promoting themselves on a larger exhibition space.

01 March 2004

THE world’s leading construction equipment show bauma  2004 – has just got bigger.

This time around, organiser Messe Munchen International has earmarked 500,000 sq m of indoor and outdoor exhibition space for the event which takes place between 29 March and 4 April at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany.
This makes bauma  the world’s biggest fair for construction machinery and an international forum for the presentation of the latest building and construction machinery, building materials machinery, construction vehicles and equipment, says a spokesman for the organiser.
“In comparison to bauma 2001, this is an increase of around 50,000 sq m. All 16 exhibition halls (total: 160,000 sq m) and the entire open-air site (340,000 sq m) with two temporary halls at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre are now fully booked,” says the spokesman.
For the first time, the fair will feature – bauma mining – a section devoted entirely to mining machinery and technology. bauma mining will attract mining machinery manufacturers from all over the world. The exhibitors will present the latest products and services in opencast and underground mining, conveyor and handling technology, geology, geophysics, exploration and consulting, he says.
More than 130 companies will be exhibiting in the bauma mining section, approximately 400 other firms will exhibit their innovative mining technology in different sections at bauma. Exhibitors at bauma mining will be putting on a comprehensive and concentrated display of mining equipment and technology, which is set to benefit from significant synergies arising from the tremendous attraction of bauma and the international scope of this world fair which is on course for a new all-time record, with 2,605 exhibitors from 45 countries, he says.
Elaborating on the trends to be reflected in this year’s bauma he says: “As industrialisation progresses in many countries around the world, the effects are soon felt in infrastructure projects, and in an increased demand for road-construction machinery. Pavers, milling machines, recycling machines and rollers may still be regarded as niche products, but unlike standard machinery, they have a much greater potential for innovation. A comprehensive review of all the latest techniques and developments in road construction machinery is what visitors can expect at bauma + mining 2004.
“For some years now, there has been a trend towards more and more electronics in road construction machinery, such as finishers, milling machines, and recycling machines. The degree of automation in work processes is rising and machine performance is improving. The functions being automated are process controls such as the placement process in the case of pavers, and also basic functions such as the drive motor.
“Great potential for innovation is also offered by machines for road maintenance. Another area coming more into focus is the use of foamed bitumen as a binding agent. A relatively new and environmentally-friendly technique, this is already being used successfully in South Africa and a number of countries in Europe.
“As in other areas, the subject of ergonomics is also increasingly important in road construction machinery. In order to get the best performance out of the machine, the operating controls have to be tailored to the particular machine or application. The emphasis is on controls that are easy to understand, well arranged and easy to use. Where once it took several hand movements to operate a particular control, there is now a single button to push. Moveable cabins mean the operator always has an excellent view. Such cabins, fitted out with the latest ergonomically-designed driver’s seats, create a comfortable, functional workplace.
“Having the right equipment is crucial, whether you are involved in building construction, civil engineering or road-building. Using the right equipment gets the job finished faster, which saves time and therefore costs. Manufacturers offer a whole host of products that are constantly being improved and extended. A clear trend is towards ever lighter and more robust materials. Site fences, which in the past were often made of iron, are now made largely of aluminium, or in some instances even plastic. The benefit with these newer materials is that fences can be erected and dismantled faster, which all helps to speed up the project time. In site accommodation, wood is being replaced more and more by plastic and other materials that have greater weathering resistance and therefore increased service life. Maintenance and repair work is thus kept to a minimum. Another trend is for site accommodation to be much more comfortably appointed. 
“Drills these days are not just used for drilling: a wide range of attachments are available for carrying out all kinds of jobs. In the case of tools like hammers, pliers and screwdrivers, longevity is a key factor. High-strength steel and other alloys ensure that even after years of use these tools stay fully functional. The same applies to metal saws, wire brushes and all the other tools that are needed around the building site.
“This apart, dramatic things are set to happen in regulations governing internal combustion engines in non-road vehicles and equipment – this year, both the European Union and the US have announced tighter requirements that will be imposed over the coming decade. All of these are themes that will be discussed in detail at bauma + mining 2004.'
The last bauma, in 2001, attracted 406,435 trade visitors and 2,341 exhibitors from 42 countries to Munich. The proportion of exhibitors from outside Germany has risen by 27 per cent.
The success story of the bauma dates back to 1954, when 58 exhibitors and 8,000 trade visitors exhibited products on the 12,000 sq m open-air site at the old exhibition centre in Theresienhohe in central Munich. Today, bauma is the world’s biggest fair in its field.
As it expanded, the world fair bauma kept setting new records. In 1956, the name of the exhibition – ‘Building Machinery and Equipment for Use’– was changed to bauma, and in the same year the number of exhibitors and the total exhibition space doubled. Two years later, in 1958, bauma featured its first 13 exhibitors from abroad, to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the City of Munich.
Messe Munchen International (MMI), one of the world’s leading trade-fair organisations, organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 90 countries, and over two million visitors from around 180 countries take part each year in the trade fairs in Munich.
• Photos by P G Loske / Messe München.

 

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