Market confidence remains strong in the build-up to bauma China 2012

Despite a slight slow-down in the pace of economic growth in China, market confidence remains strong in the country.

The organisers of the upcoming 5930 Bauma China event, from November 27 to 30 2012, say that China is still a key market for the global construction sector. Supported by a booming domestic market, the Chinese construction machinery manufacturers are also making ground on the international front. The exhibition is an international trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, construction vehicles and equipment and takes place in Shanghai.

Since 2010 the world’s largest domestic market in the construction sector has been in China. And, according to estimates by the German foreign trade organisation, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), in the coming years the People’s Republic is set to further extend its lead over the second-largest internal market, the United States of America.

The Chinese Government is tackling gigantic infrastructure projects in its current five-year program, running from 2011-2015. Boosted by a healthy domestic market, the Chinese construction machinery manufacturers have grown strongly in recent years. According to a recent report on the global construction machinery market by international management consultancy Oliver Wyman, the Chinese manufacturer 2490 XCMG doubled its turnover between 2004 and 2010, while 1175 Zoomlion managed to quadruple its sales.

During the same period the broad-based 1170 Sany Group succeeded in increasing its sales five-fold to around US$5 billion. As a result, these three major firms are in the Top Ten of the global construction machinery market. In China itself demand for construction machinery in the coming years is set to continue growing strongly. A forecast by the 2735 China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA)  predicts that in 2015, 100,000 cranes will be sold in the People’s Republic.

That would be an increase of over 130% on the 43,400 units sold in 2010. High growth rates are also predicted for concrete mixing vehicles (+98%) and concrete pump vehicles (+88%). And, in contrast to the 3,019 asphalt pavers that were sold in 2010, in 2015 sales will reach around 5,000 (+66%).

And the organisers of the bauma 2013 exhibition in Munich have revealed that all stand space has been sold. This is despite the fact that the exhibition space has been extended to a record 570,000m2. Organised by 3995 Messe München, the International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines, Construction Vehicles and Construction Equipment now has a waiting list for all of its sections. Located in the Bavarian capital Munich, this is the biggest trade show in the world. It will take place in Munich from April 15th to 21st, 2013.

To cope with demand a further 15,000m2 of space was made available in the north-west corner of the exhibition site. Georg Moller, exhibition group director at Messe München International said, "With this additional space we can now admit more exhibitors than at the last event. Nevertheless it is still not possible to accommodate all those who want to take part, or to meet in full the space requirements of all participants."