From the number of visitors from Germany and abroad to the weather, bauma 2022 was a complete success. With this result, the industry is setting an example against the general negative economic trend. This is not to hide existing difficulties such as supply chain problems, skills shortages, rising prices and inflation, but solutions are available. Many manufacturers used the show to present their innovations for digitalization and automation for construction sites and mining. This is a development that can no longer be stopped.
The trade show concept was also adapted accordingly. For the first time, 50 start-ups were represented in the LAB0 innovation hall. Together with MiC 4.0, the Science Hub, a VR area and the bauma Forum, a wide range of new projects and research work could be seen here over five days. Together with the THINK BIG! student program at the ICM, everything revolved around the topic of the future.
“We are already in the middle of a profound phase of transformation,” said Joachim Schmid, Managing Director of VDMA Construction Machinery and Building Material Plants, “the successful course of the trade fair confirms to us that this realization has arrived in the construction industry and is being accepted by customers. Only smaller, regionally operating companies are not quite so optimistic about the situation. For them, the downturn in residential construction poses major challenges.”
With around 3,200 exhibitors from 60 countries and more than 495,000 trade show visitors from over 200 countries, the industry’s expectations were far exceeded. The share of international exhibitors was just under 65 %.
The award ceremony for the bauma Innovation Award 2022 was also eagerly awaited. For the thirteenth time, numerous companies and institutes from Germany and abroad had applied for the award in five categories during the world’s leading trade fair bauma. After a multi-stage selection process, five lucky winners were able to receive their prizes on Sunday before the start of the trade fair in the Max-Joseph-Saal of the Munich Residenz (Figure 1).
They are in the categories:
- Climate protection: Liebherr France SAS with its crawler excavator with hydrogen engine.
- Digitalization: MiC 4.0 Machines in Construction with a standardized digital language for construction sites.
- Mechanical engineering: Herrenknecht AG with its continuous tunneling.
- Construction: Holcim (Germany) GmbH with prestressed CPC concrete elements.
- Research: TU Freiberg Institute of Mechanical Engineering with Deep Sea Sampling.
A total of 133 applications were received, of which 41 finalists made it through to the next round. In two rounds of voting, the expert jury and task force chose their favorites. The trade journalists attending the bauma Media Dialog in Munich also had the opportunity to cast their vote in the final round.
The competition is a joint project under the auspices of the VDMA Construction Machinery and Building Material Plants, Messe München, the Hauptverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie e. V. (HDB), the Zentralverband des deutschen Bauge-werbes e. V. (ZDB) and the Bundesverband Baustoffe – Steine und Erden e. V. (bbs). (VDMA/Si.)
