bC India: Shaping the future of construction industry

bC India: Shaping the future of construction industryLast year, the bC India show has attracted 508 exhibitors from 36 countries and 24,823 visitors from 71 countries, leading the trade fair to an outstanding height. The event’s Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Löffler, is pleased that the show left a good first impression on the construction equipment market of India. In an interview with ACE Update, Mr. Löffler also emphasises the success of upcoming edition.
Mr. Löffler, the first edition of bC India 2011 was a huge success. What can we expect from the second edition in 2013?The BAUMA CONEXPO Show – bC India, held on 8 to 11 February, 2011 at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, exceeded all expectations. 508 exhibitors from 36 countries and 24,823 visitors from 71 countries attended the first edition of the International Trade Fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles. The event is a joint venture between Messe München International (MMI) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).
This results, clearly, shows that our decision to launch bC India just came at the right time at the right place. Furthermore, the number of exhibitors as well as the feedback from all the participants evidence impressively that bC India is truly a new dimension for the construction industry. 97 per cent of the visitors rated bC India as good to excellent according to a survey conducted during bC India 2011. 99 per cent of the visitors said they would come back to visit bC India 2013. Regarding to the exhibitors, 91 per cent rated bC India as good to excellent which is an outstanding.bC India 2013 will take place from 5 to 8 February, 2013 at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. Responding to very strong demand from exhibitors, the exhibition space for bC India 2013 has been extended to a total of around 1,50,000 square meters. All in all, more than 700 exhibitors will showcase their latest products and innovations with regards to construction equipment, mining machinery, building material machinery, construction vehicles and spare parts. Around 40,000 trade visitors from India and abroad are expected to visit too. We are again offering an online registration for bC India visitors. All who register online will receive their badge by e-mail, free of charge. All who do not register online have to queue up on-site and pay an entrance fee. With this concept, we guaranteed a top quality audience at bC India 2011. 84 per cent exhibitors rated the quality of bC India 2011 visitors as excellent to good.
The international character of bC India will be underlined through national pavilions are expected from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and UK who are all going to showcase their state-of-the-art technologies produced in their countries.
Last time you had a long waiting list of companies who wanted to exhibit but you did not have enough space on offer. Could you solve this problem for bC India 2013?Besides to the global players who had already participated in the first show, many new key exhibitors like JCB, Hyundai, Case, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ashok Leyland, Cifa, and Shantui will take part at bC India 2013. Many companies have booked more space than the first event. The response from the exhibitors and industry is excellent. I invite new exhibitors to participate in the show.
How will Indian construction fraternity benefit from the show?India, as the world’s seventh-largest country by area and second biggest by population, is dynamically growing but has largely untapped construction equipment markets. In the recent years, the country has witnessed massive investment in the construction industry from both the public and private sectors.
The consequence of governmental investment in infrastructure development for large and fast-track projects and the requirements to realise these projects will be an increased demand for specialised construction equipment. The variety of latest technologies which will be showcased at bC India 2013, will give visitors the opportunity to compare equipment from Indian and international manufacturers in order to meet the requirements for these kinds of projects.
The launch show in 2011 did an impressive job of putting this quality standard to the test. bC India provides the construction industry with a professional platform for networking, investment, and the exchange of ideas and information. In 2013, bC India will again be highlighting themes which will shape the future of building and which have an outstanding importance for all segments of the construction industry.
How do you see the construction industry shaping up in coming years?The construction equipment market will be largely driven by the planned development of infrastructure and the economic growth of the country, according to the 12th Five Year Plan (April 2012 – March 2017). The government has planned investments of nearly $ 1 trillion on infrastructure which is the highest ever for any Five-Year Plan. I am confident that this will have positive effects on the construction industry and eventually on the construction equipment market. A lot of work is yet to be done with regards to infrastructure projects in India which primarily favours the future growth of the construction industry and construction equipment market.
While the economic situation and sales figures for construction equipment are declining in 2012, the research organisation ‘off-highway research’ forecasts an increase of sales figures of earthmoving equipment of 16 per cent in 2013, 9 per cent in 2014, 11 per cent in 2015 and 10 per cent in 2016. The recent governmental announcement of further highway and port projects underline the positive development which is likely to happen in the coming years.
Despite the current challenges, off-highway research is positive about the long-term prospects of the construction equipment market. It forecasts that sales of construction equipment will reach 71,255 units in 2012, which are likely to rise to 1,14,165 units by the end of 2016.
bC India, happening in February 2013, can become the right platform to witness an upswing of the construction equipment industry in 2013 as forecasted.
How is the support you receive from governmental bodies and associations?From our first edition in 2011, we have been getting good supports from associations and governmental bodies. The list of supporting Indian and international associations is long. Our joint organizer, the Builders Association of India (BAI) strongly supports us by inviting all their members to the show. Even the support from the local governmental authorities with regards to the venue, the MMRDA grounds in Mumbai is strong.
Are there any concurrent activities during bC India 2013?bC India is not just a platform for global companies to showcase their innovations to the industry. We also offer our trade visitors and audience to participate in quality conferences and buyer forums that are held concurrently to the trade fair.
Why have you chosen Mumbai as the destination to host the event?Mumbai is the leading international trade hub in India which offers several advantages to bC India’s exhibitors and visitors. Considered the centre of the construction industry, this city is the ideal spot for solidifying customer and prospect relationships. Last year, we got the general feedback of visitors that Mumbai is the right place for such an event as ‘everybody has something to do in Mumbai’ which means that a lot of decision makers travel to see the exhibition as they can combine their visit with other appointments in the financial capital of India, Mumbai. According to our survey, 82 per cent of bC India 2011 visitors were decision makers or had a jointly decisive role in the company – a result which speaks for the quality of bC India visitors.
Mr. Thomas LoefflerCEO bC Expo India & Dep CEO MMI India

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