At no other time does the world’s construction equipment industry gather together in such large numbers as at Bauma. Visitors from all over the world descend on Munich for one very intensive week once every three years. Last time, in 1998, there were 380,000 visitors. It is fair to expect that, with the German economy picking up and construction activity increasing globally, the number of visitors this time could be even higher, possibly even approaching half a million.

Bauma 2001 comes at a time when the construction market in Western Europe is growing modestly – up 2.8% last year to E844bn, according to the research organisation Euroconstruct. A further growth of 1.4% to E856bn is predicted for this year. In Germany, Europe’s largest construction market, has suffered in recent years with a hangover from integrating what used to be East with West. The economic cycle in Germany’s construction sector is forecasted to bottom out this year and begin an upturn.

While the US market has started to slide from the peak of 1999 and early 2000, there is hope that the landing will be soft. Elsewhere, most Asian economies are regaining their strength and confidence, and the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) is buoyed by oil price rises. China, meanwhile, remains a market with almost unlimited potential.

Equipment manufacturers respond to Bauma by putting extra effort into launching new products at the fair. Common themes from stand to stand are likely to be: the growing use of microelectronics to optimise performance of equipment and prevent accidents; the use of the internet to provide product support and remote diagnostics, otherwise known as teleservicing; and more comfortable and ergonomic operator cabs. Another strong theme is likely to be energy efficiency. Escalating fuel prices prompted a spate of protest action in several European countries, including Germany, France and the UK, by owners of commercial vehicles in the last few months of 2000. Expect manufacturers of mobile cranes – especially those using ZF’s new AS Tronic gearbox – to be stressing fuel efficiency as a selling point.

Over the next 30 pages we explore some of the highlights awaiting visitors from the lifting industry.