In Munich this month, the largest ever trade fair for construction materials, machinery and equipment, will take place – bauma 2004. The scale and importance of this event is reflected in the unprecedented size of this month’s T&TI, well over 100 pages, which includes a special VDMA/bauma 50th anniversary supplement.
Now in its 50th year, the exhibition has topped the construction show attendance ratings for some years, and once again promises to showcase an impressive array of new equipment and materials innovations.
A choice selection of new tunnelling products being unveiled at bauma include the new ‘Microsegments’ from Bernold-Ceresola, designed to allow the erection of a 2m-3.5m i.d. six piece trapezoidal segmental lining, with an integrated glass-fibre reinforced inliner. The company believes this could save 50% project time by eliminating the need to install a secondary PVC lining.
Also CarboTech Fosroc will promote its new in-situ permeation grouting system, CIPS. The injection product promises to transform loose sediments into ‘artificial rock’, doing in a few days what nature takes a few million years to achieve!
These are to name but two, however, many other giants in the tunnelling field (including Caterpillar, Atlas Copco, Doka, and ITC) will be promoting previously unseen equipment, so all in all this year’s event promises to be something very special.
It is with events such as bauma that you begin to truly appreciate the importance of those in the supply chain. Manufacturers of highly sophisticated tunnelling hard (and soft) ware are a vital cog in the industry’s wheel, their innovations often taken for granted when compared to those of high profile contractors and consultants.
With the increasing complexity of today’s underground construction projects, the trend for equipment manufacturers to take on the additional role of sub-consultant or contractor, specific to their product, has in some instances proved indispensable on-site. It is encouraging to see these (contractor/manufacturer) partnerships develop, as many past examples (e.g. p14) of this have spurred the development of machinery and excavation techniques – which has ultimately had a knock-on impact world-wide.
It is vital that contractors in our industry stay in tune with materials and machinery developments by attending shows such as bauma. A good relationship struck today, may help dig you out of a hole tomorrow!
Tris Thomas
