A good Bauma?

I joined Cranes Today in late 2006, attending my fi rst Bauma in 2007, after only a few month's covering the sector. So, my impressions of that show may have been coloured by its sheer size and the novelty of seeing so many cranes in one place. But, with the market peaking, I think many visitors will recall this as a strong show.

My next two times at the show were less impressive. In 2010, the event took place under the literal clouds of Eyjafjallajökull, which stopped many visitors attending, and the metaphorical clouds of a market in deep decline.

We had only recently come out of a period when manufacturers were talking about 40% drops in sales, more in some regions, with no sign of a recovery anywhere in sight. While many people will have gone to the 2013 show hoping for a recovery, most ended up disappointed.

This year though, we saw exciting innovations, from a range of companies. As I write this, the eight-axle all terrains from Tadano and Liebherr stand out. The two companies have taken very different approach to this class. Tadano, a new entrant to the market for cranes of this size, has developed a unique boom system, that will, they say, allow them to lift very heavy loads without a boom suspension system.

Liebherr, on the other hand, with two larger all terrains already out there, has aimed for a lower capacity, but longer traditional boom, for a crane they've informally described as a 'maxi taxi'. It will be interesting over the next year to see how users choose between these two cranes: clearly, there could be space in the market for both.

While overall crane sales remain pretty much flat, two contacts with overall responsibility for tower crane sales both reported a very good show. One pointed out that potential buyers at previous shows would shop around for the best deal. This year, many were eager to to ensure they got a production slot for their crane, so much so they were reluctant to take leave the stand to consider other offers.

Outside the show itself, I learnt some postive regulatory news. The industry has been concerned about how the EU will implement the next set of engine regulations. Now, I understand, the proposal going to the European Parliament will give manufacturers a longer transition period to sell of cranes using older engines. At the same time, engine manufacturers at Bauma were showing off their first prototype engines, which will, they say, make resale to markets without ultra low sulpur diesel easier.

Taken together, a more confident market, facing regulations that are less onerous than expected, may continue to bring positive surprises.

Will North editor
will.north@uk.timetric.com