Rental industry gears up for “full strength” Bauma

Image courtesy of Messe München

There really is no replacement for in-person events, as was evident during the period in which many were impacted or cancelled due to the pandemic.

It will then be welcome by many in the equipment rental industry that Bauma is returning in a matter of months.

And if the expectations from trade fair organiser Messe München is anything to go by, next year will see the show return to full strength.

Event director Nicole Schmitt told our sister publication Construction Briefing that she expects Bauma to be on a par with the size of the 2019 event. That year was a record for Bauma, with a total of 620,000 visitors from over 200 countries.

When you consider everything that has come since aside from the pandemic (most notably the first land war in Europe since WW2 that has sent a chill through Germany’s economy), returning to such a scale would be no mean feat.

“Many of the customers who skipped 2022 due to the pandemic will be coming back,” says Schmitt.

The energy transition challenge

The challenge of interpreting and meeting new regulations governing the construction industry, particularly when it comes to limiting carbon emissions, is one of the drivers behind that eagerness, Schmitt asserts.

“There is still the need there to meet each other and Bauma is the only chance to get the entire family gathered together in one place,” she says.

There are five key topics for Bauma 2025, which are: climate neutrality, alternative drive concepts, networked construction, sustainable construction, and mining challenges.

“In order to master challenges such as climate protection and sustainability, you have to get the entire industry to talk to each other and form new solutions,” she concludes.

“We are also working on getting politicians on board too so that they can talk to our exhibitors and visitors and really get to know their needs so that we can ensure our bridges do not collapse.”

Of course, the focus on sustainability won’t be lost on many of the exhibitors. For example, the Pramac Generac Group told IRN that the main theme will “certainly be sustainability.”

Alessandro Rossi, mobile business director, says, “We want to show our customers how we intend to approach the future of our production with solutions that have the lowest impact in terms of emissions.

“We want to do it seriously, not just in words, because this topic in the last years has allowed too often the introduction on the market of sustainable products that are not accessible everywhere.”

Ausa will have an outdoor space of over 500 sqm. (Photo: Ausa)

The company will aim to stick with the status quo that it has had at Bauma in recent shows on its 170 sqm stand, showcasing a variety of its range to offer a “real 360-degree experience.”

Rossi says it will have a range of hybrid and solar models, low-emission solutions with Stage V engines, and LFP Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in different sizes.

Reflecting the international elements, Rossi says it will have numerous international sellers speaking different languages, so as to “best welcome visitors from all over the world.”

Spain-based OEM Ausa also says that as it prepares for the show, which it has attended since the 1980’s, it expects machine compactness and sustainability to be the main themes.

Albert Vicens, marketing manager, Ausa, says the company is focusing on, “continuing to offer robust and efficient machines that provide profitability for our customers. We will keep working towards the decarbonization of the industrial sector with low and zero-emission products.”

The timing of Bauma couldn’t be better, he says, with low growth forecasts across western markets, mainly due to inflation and interest rates, which are limiting access to financing.

He adds that in general terms, the global construction sector will face several challenges in the coming years such as low demand for new housing in many regions.

That is one of many reasons the company is keen to hit the trade floor in April.

What to expect at Bauma

“Additionally, it provides the perfect setting to explore new business opportunities and establish new contacts,” says Vicens.

The main goal for Ausa, which was acquired by Oshkosh earlier this year, is to convey to the public its focus on offering robust, compact and easy-to-use products.

As for its stand, Ausa will have an outdoor space of over 500 sqm, with a “common area where we will showcase between 12 and 14 models, some of which will be global premieres presented during the trade show.”

Another company that concurs with the theme that Bauma is a must attend event is compressor manufacturer Kaeser Kompressore, which will have an 800 sqm stand in the central outdoor area spread over three neighbouring stand areas.

The company told IRN that “nothing is as valuable as a look under the canopy. At the Kaeser stand, customers can also experience the units in operation and see the quality and ease of service for themselves.”

A representative selection from its Mobilair product range will be on display, as well as a view of “future solutions.”

During the show the company will present 4 new models of portable compressors, as well as further development of the battery machine - M50B.

Kaeser will show its range of Mobilair units (Photo: Kaeser)

The range of Mobilair units on display extends from the small hand-pulled electric scew compressor M10E to the mobile diesel driven oil-free compressed air giant M500-2 with an operating weight of almost 12 tonnes.

Meanwhile, Spanish OEM Himoinsa also returns next year, and says that Bauma is “an unmissable event” that “allows us to meet our customers and potential customers.”

At the previous Bauma in 2022, the company introduced its Electrification Strategy, and that theme is carrying over th is time around.

Cristina Avilés, global marketing and communication head, says, “The main difference for us is that we have a complete portfolio of hybrid and battery power systems already developed which will be showed at Bauma.

“We will be focused on the promotion of our battery power generators family with units up to 300 kVA. In parallel, we are integrating our own batteries into our products, so we are making great strides in our electrification strategy, not only by developing even more powerful equipment but also by integrating our own components.”

As they have in previous editions, lighting towers will also form a key point of the Himoinsa stand, with a range of hybrid towers as well as new mobile towers with LED lighting and Stage V engines on show.

On its attendance at trade shows, Avilés says that although some large manufacturers have considered stopping exhibiting at events, Bauma is “the only large trade fair in which we are maintaining our participation as an exhibitor, as we are focusing our actions on smaller, lower-cost events with a greater impact.”

Climate focus

In 2022 JLG didn’t have its own stand, and showed instead on its then partner Hinowa’s booth. Since then JLG has acquired Hinowa and will have a 1,000 sqm stand where it will unite the company’s European group of companies, including products from Hinowa, based in Italy, Toucan, based in France, and Power Towers, based in the UK. Recently acquired Ausa will have its own stand.

JLG has introduced its new ES4046 electric scissor lift to Europe.

There will be a focus on themes around electrification - climate neutrality, alternative drive concepts, and sustainable construction, and an “immersive environment”, including a dedicated electrification area, and, says the company, “there will be some interesting surprises for our customers and team members.”

On the topic of attending exhibitions, JLG comments, “In today’s international business environment, online meetings are necessary and efficient for day-to-day activities. However, they cannot replace face-to-face interactions, which are vital to hold in-depth conversations and gain a greater understanding of the needs of our partners, distributors and customers.”

She says previous experiences of Bauma offered “a good time to display our new equipment; our customers touch the products, give us their feedback and reach our agreement with new clients.”

Although, says the company, “Economic headwinds continue to be a concern we recognise demand from the industry for continual innovation, sustainable solutions, and that the increasing adoption of digital tools and electrification is expected to accelerate in the coming years.”

Next year Himoinsa will have two stands, one indoor and the other outside to show its heavy equipment, 1250kVA gensets in container, lighting towers and gas and diesel generators.

In the indoor stand it will display its battery power systems and some “key lighting towers.”

Perfect timing

Skyjack, which chose not to exhibit at the last edition of Bauma, says it welcomed the exhibition’s return to the Spring schedule, having been held in September in 2022 to avoid the aftermath of the pandemic.

“The last few years have seen some changes in show timing generally and the return to spring Bauma is welcomed. It seems to tie in better for purchasing cycles with product on display in spring allowing for considered purchasing decisions latter in the year and for the following year,” says Skyjack.

It was for this reason says Skyjack that it chose not attend in 2022. “It was not the best return proposition for us. In 2025 and with a spring show, we look forward to returning to the outdoor area.”

Among the items on display on the company’s 500 sqm stand will be improved E-drive scissors and Skyjack’s new e-booms…both all electric and hybrid electric models will be on display.

Skyjack’s ebooms will be at the show.

Bauma brings together people that are passionate about their industry, added Skyjack. “The ability to meet customers and potential customers face to face is an integral part of developing strong business relationships. The energy and camaraderie also provides an opportunity for team building.”

What exhibits

Sinoboom’s stand will showcase its “made in Europe for Europe products” produced at its European manufacturing facility in Poznań, Poland. It will cover 790 square meters and showcase 15 individual MEWPs.

Richard Butler, Sinoboom Europe CEO, says, “There is still, though, great uncertainty in the market about the European trade tariffs and how these will impact the market and in fact restrict customer choice. Sinoboom has pre-empted this with its Polish manufacturing plant.

The company’s strategy for Bauma 2025 is clear, says Butler, “New products and new intellectual technology, which are unaffected by the European trade tariffs, as we announced some months back.”

Dawei He, Sinoboom’s Global Sales and Marketing Director, also supports the return of the event to the Spring. “It can encourage buyers to finalize or expedite purchasing decisions, as it allows ample lead time for integrating new equipment into their fleets before the summer peak.”

He added, “Bauma draws a global audience, offering networking and business development opportunities across multiple sectors, which is advantageous for manufacturers like Sinoboom aiming to strengthen their presence in the European and global markets.”

This is particularly important, as Butler points out, as the European business climate has over the last few years been static with major markets in recession. “High interest rates and therefore the cost of capital has had a bearing on fleet development and replacement cycles across the continent. Customers are still cautious about the future market trends and are limiting capital expenditure.

“We are also hearing that hire rates are still under pressure across the sector, which again gives weight as to why replacement cycles and fleet enhancements are subject to greater scrutiny.”

Butler adds, “Electronic meetings unfortunately have become the norm post-Covid, but business is about people and real face-to-face interaction, and the business world needs to start to get back to the old normal: meaningful fact-to-face meetings, understanding who you are dealing with, learning about them first and foremost. This develops relationships, and relationships deliver business and sales.”

Zoomlion’s boom line its China factory.

Zoomlion’s 3,840 sqm booth at Bauma will include 68 units across its construction equipment range, and incorporate a large number of new products.

“Bauma is incredibly important to Zoomlion Access as it is the major global showcase for innovations, trends and technologies in construction and access industry,” says the company.

The company echoed the suitable timing of the show, saying it aligns well with recovery phases in the business cycle, as the global construction industry rebounds. “It is expected to lead to an increase in purchasing of aerial work platform worldwide.”

On that note, Zoomlion’s access equipment offering at the show will focus on simple, safe and reliable MEWPs in a global range, under the slogan: Greener Development, Brighter Future.

“In the access industry, it is crucial for manufacturers to manage person-in-person meetings since potential clients can often choose to trial machines, and existing customers can engage in hands on training with experts to get a better understanding of the equipment.”