Crane firms hold back on Intermat

“It was pretty depressing to everybody,” said Liebherr Holding press officer Gerold Dobler during the Conexpo show in March. “Everybody figured Intermat had a problem.”

He added: “Discussions began the day after the show on how we will position ourselves.”

Although Liebherr is planning a presence, albeit reduced, at Conexpo, Steve Filipov, president and CEO of Terex Cranes, said that he had not even decided whether to exhibit. “We might have an open house that week,” he said. He added that he would have to make a decision soon.

However, the Intermat 2006 web site does list Terex Cranes as an exhibitor.

In 2003, a strike by transport workers the week of Intermat made it difficult to reach the suburban fair grounds. However, Filipov said: “It was not only the strike – I don’t think it was that well attended.”

Hans-Martin Frech, marketing director of Liebherr-Werk Biberach, the tower cranes business, said: “It is no longer a big international show. It is an interesting French show.”

There is growing interest in Bauma China, next taking place in November 2006.

“Down the road, there’s Bauma, Conexpo in North America, and somewhere in Asia – Bauma China, perhaps,” Filipov said.

However, Phillipe Cohet, Manitowoc executive vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “For the Europe, Middle East and African region, Intermat is very important, it’s a key show for our region.”

He added “It is true that there are practical problems with having two shows in the same year – we have to share the effort between two shows.”

He said that Manitowoc would deal with this conflict by delegating Intermat show planning to the EMEA organisation, and Bauma China show planning to the Asian operation headed up by Eric Etchart.

Despite its apparent popularity, Bauma China 2004 was much smaller than Intermat in 2003 in terms of numbers. Bauma China 2004 had 750 exhibitors, 50,000 visitors, and 100,000 sq m of exhibition space compared with Intermat’s 1,300 exhibitors, 180,000 visitors, and 350,000 sq m of exhibition space.

At present, Bauma China takes place every two years, leading to a theoretical conflict with Conexpo in 2008. On the other hand, the show managed to survive having the European Bauma take place only six months before.

Marie-Emmanuelle Llinares, international communication manager for Intermat 2006, said she did not understand criticism that Intermat was a very good national show, but was losing ground as an international event.

She told Cranes Today: “Liebherr, Manitowoc and Terex have confirmed their participation to Intermat 2006 with the same or a little more budget, and JLG, Merlot, Manitou and Pinguely have increased significantly their surface area. Pinguely will have a 2,000 sq m area versus 700 in 2003.”

She added: “Seventy five per cent of the exhibitors are international companies, and 42% of the visitors were coming from foreign countries in 2003. Conexpo announced 17% of foreign visitors for 2005…

“Seven national pavilions will be organised in 2006, supported by their respective national trade associations or professional federations (US, UK, China, Korea, Italy, Spain, Finland), and we expect the confirmation of India and Czech Republic.

“If Bauma [Europe] is the undeniable leader of equipment machinery for civil engineering and construction exhibitions, you can't be unaware that Intermat is part of the international arena of the most important exhibitions (as Conexpo is).”