BAUMA PREVIEW: The big show

The Bauma tradeshow is not only the largest construction show in the world, it is also the world’s largest tradeshow of any kind. Set for April 8-14, 2019, this is the 32nd Bauma trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment.

If you have never attended Bauma it’s hard to explain just how huge it is and how important it is to the industry. Held every three years, the show grows exponentially. In 2019, visitors will see the addition of two more halls and an optimized layout of the outdoor areas. This year’s show will cover 614,000 square meters, up 1.5 percent from 605,000 square meters in 2016. Bauma organizer Messe München expects more visitors than the 583,736 who attended in 2016. There will be some 5,500 exhibitors from 55 countries. Crane and transport equipment manufacturers from all over the world will pull out all the stops to present new and spectacular equipment to catch the attention of users and buyers of equipment and services.

A dominant topic in the general construction industry is digitalization and IoT (Internet of Everything), and these will be prominent at Bauma. Cloud-based infrastructure, digital services portfolios and security solutions will all be on view. The world’s leading manufacturers will present their developments and offer discussion on opportunities and challenges of new technologies.

Digitalization emphasis

The goal of digitalization is realizing and automating construction projects to make them more efficient, faster and more cost-effective without sacrificing quality. Stakeholders must be connected to each other and the processes must be handled electronically. These systems already exist and will exhibited.

Commenting on the subject, Mareile Kästner, exhibition director, said, “The digitalization of the construction industry is becoming increasingly important. Many construction machines are already equipped with communication interfaces that provide comprehensive data, for example, on location and [fuel] consumption.”

Kästner said visitors would be able to find out about technologies like the coordination of activities on several construction sites, perhaps located thousands of miles apart, as well as controlling and managing construction site vehicles.

Another element of the event is the Bauma Forum, in Hall C2, where exhibitors, trade associations and partners present the latest product developments, trends and market analyses in presentations, press conferences and panel discussions.

A major emerging trend highlighted this year will be alternative power systems, including electromobility and driverless vehicles. Manufacturers will showcase their developments while discussing opportunities and challenges presented by new technology and demands for less environmental pollution.

More construction machinery manufacturers are upgrading their smaller machines in the lower power range with electric drives. Interest is also growing in hybrid vehicles, which will be displayed.

Kästner said the new halls will greatly improve the visitor experience.

“The construction of the new halls C5 and C6 marks the completion of the original plans for the Munich trade fair site,” she said. “This strategic decision by Messe München also influences the planning for Bauma, a trade fair that spreads across the entire fairground.”

Due to the new halls, the open-air exhibition ground in the center is being eliminated. The area used for components is being expanded to five halls.

One particularly important change, according to Kästner, is the enlarged exhibition area for construction machinery and accessory equipment on the open-air exhibition ground area North directly on Bauma Boulevard.

New layout

The new layout planning will be a major issue to be covered in visitor communication, she added.

“Our fairgrounds plan provides new orientation, something that is also facilitated by the color code and icons,” she said.

Messe München is also drawing on various aspects of digital media, including a video about the new layout, and exhibitor media that display the hall layouts and booth positions of each exhibitor.

“A key factor will be the sign system used on site. It will help visitors easily find their way around the fairgrounds. The Bauma app also helps visitors find the booth they are looking for.”

All it takes is a few clicks to go online to plan your trip and purchase your ticket. For more information please visit https://www.bauma.de/visitors/planning-your-visit/seven-day pass.

Of particular interest to readers of American Cranes & Transport, the outdoor Lifting Appliances area is shown with a green tower crane on the map above.