The sun shone, the beer flowed, and the visitors came – around 600,000 of them, according to Messe München which runs Bauma. Liken it to a construction machinery-themed Glastonbury but held in Munich. Global brands playing to global fans. Breakthrough artists trying to increase their fanbase, sideshows galore and something for everybody.
If you like the sound of heavy metal, the melodic thrum of a six-litre diesel engine or the insistent whine of an electric power pack, then you were at home. Techno or progressive was on stage too. In a prime spot and attracting the fans, Develon put on a set showcasing its futuristic, autonomous version of its DX225 excavator. Case showcased how semi-autonomy might work for the industry with automated digging and dumping on a concept wheeled loader, Impact, which would also be remotely controlled.
One of the biggest names and a show regular, Liebherr, built itself a small village. Not surprisingly it attracted lots of attention as adoring fans took selfies with its star performer, the gargantuan 240-tonne T 264 electric mining truck. Meanwhile LuiGong unveiled its new act, the world’s first electric grader. For the record the company also celebrated hitting 8,500 electric machine sales globally.
Not to be outshone, old hands Caterpillar delivered 17 new models across the 48 machines on stage. It was also an opportune moment for this iconic brand to commemorate a century of manufacturing some of the biggest hits in machinery.
To use the Stones’ parlance Bauma was also a gas, in this case hydrogen, as a number of acts offered evidence of advancing hydrogen technology. Hyundai Construction Equipment demonstrated its concept hydrogen-powered wheeled excavator, the HW155H. And Hitachi added to its impressive electric excavator line-up with the ZE300 hydrogenpowered medium excavator.
Bauma remains the biggest stage for construction machinery and all the support acts, and as such, is a bellwether for the industry. So, what was the vibe like? Despite global uncertainties, this year’s exhibition felt like an optimistic affair. And, while companies exporting to the US acknowledged the threat of tariffs and trade wars, their view was largely a hopeful ‘let’s wait and see’.
But it will be a long wait and so much can or will happen between now and 2028, the next edition. After the buzz of Bauma, there’s inevitably a bit of an anti-climax, back to business-as-normal and a return to day-to-day routines. However, the memories of Bauma will live long for exhibitors and attendees alike.
For readers that didn’t manage to get to Munich, have a read of our Bauma review. The CPN team did the hard yards to bring you our highlights of the event.
Happy reading
