Bauma generates business success

The 2019 Bauma exhibition in Munich, Germany, has been called the most successful in its 65-year history, with exhibiting companies reporting a good level of sales and strong interest in digital and environmentally-friendly technologies.

Joachim Schmid, managing director of the Construction Machinery and Building Material Association of the German Engineering Federation, said, “Many trade fair exhibitors had a specific interest in buying when they dropped by company booths, something that fuels hopes for continuing economic stability.”

The week-long event played host to numerous product launches, including Caterpillar’s revelation of its D6 dozer with a choice of electric drive or fully-automatic power train and Ruthmann’s launch of a 3.5 tonne TB/TBR Steiger truck mount range and the fully-electric TBR 250E Ampero. While Volvo Construction Equipment launched an electric compact excavator and wheeled loader, manufacturer Case also launched its latest innovation; a methane-powered wheeled loader.

Dr. Frank Hiller, chairman of the board of management at Deutz, said, “Customers’ interest in electric drive systems has never been so high as it was this year. It was a dominant issue at Bauma 2019.” 

Alongside innovations from machine manufacturers, equipment company Topcon generated interest with the GTL-1000 scanner and rental company Tobroco-Giant handed over the key to the first of 100 V452T X-TRA loader machines to Volker Blome, manager of product development at rental company Boels.  In addition, an electric and integrated drivetrain system portfolio comprising both power generation and traction drive components was rolled out by John Deere Power Systems.

Technology companies also impressed at Bauma this year. New virtual reality software was unveiled, with Canada-based company Serious Labs previewing its virtual reality training simulation platform proving to be of interest to many. Melinda Zimmerman Smith of Serious Labs said Bauma created, “exciting opportunities that we didn’t even know existed.”

Bauma also saw important industry announcements being made. Technology company Abax and Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME) signed a telematic solutions deal, which will see software produced by Abax incorporated into several HCME product lines.

Not just a place for companies to show off their innovations, many company representatives commented on Bauma’s role as a venue for business to be conducted.

Gernot Hein, director of communications and public affairs at ZF Friedrichshafen, said, “The number and quality of professional conversations were very high,” and Andreas Böhm, a member of the board of directors of Liebherr-International, said, “We took orders from all parts of the world and made a whole lot of new contacts.” 

Bauma 2019 began with the Innovation Awards ceremony, which saw Liebherr and Herrenknecht among the top prize winners.

The world’s largest construction equipment trade fair attracted over 3,500 exhibitors from 63 countries and saw 620,000 visitors from more than 200 countries attend the exhibition. 

The event organisers, Messe München, said that while most visitors came from Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Poland and Great Britain, there was a significant increase in the number of visitors from Australia and Japan, and more than 5,500 visitors coming from China alone.

The next Bauma will take place from April 4 to 10, 2022, at the Messe München Exhibition Center in Munich, Germany.

See below for more Bauma 2019 photos.