Meeting the challenge

Even in the volatile conditions facing the Chinese economy, and the construction sector in particular, Bauma China remains a big draw for exhibitors, with 2,400 booking spaces by June 2016.

Organisers Messe München say that construction equipment unit sales in China have declined by 70% in the four years since the market’s 2011 peak. This year, they expect a slight rise, with stability coming from the continuing push to develop the country’s infrastructure.

The US manufacturers’ association, the AEM, reckons China invested $130bn in railway construction in both 2014 and 2015. Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang says the country will invest $122bn this year. Over the course of the current Five Year Plan, starting this year, $650bn will be spent on the country’s railways.

As China rapidly urbanises, the country is also looking to nearly double the total length of its cities’ underground railway systems.

Emissions regulations are often thought of as a focus only of regulators in the world’s most developed economies. In China, after decades of transformational growth, air pollution is becoming a serious concern. Since April, the government has banned the most polluting off road engines from working, and insisted that all new construction equipment complies, at least, with minimum standards. This too is expected to help support equipment sales.

The show, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, is a reliable opportunity to see cranes from both global and domestic producers, and often includes some unique designs aimed at the country’s vast and varied construction sector.

The event is also attended by visitors from across the region, and is expected to attract over 180,000 potential equipment buyers. It takes place from 22–25 November.