The seven-day bauma 2016, the 31st edition of the world’s leading trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines and mining equipment, held last month (April 11 to 17) in Munich, Germany, saw 580,000 visitors from 200 countries, a nine per cent increase compared to the previous show.

A total of 3,423 exhibitors – 1,263 from Germany and 2,160 from abroad – from 58 countries presented their products, developments and innovations on a record 605,000 sq m of exhibition space. Exhibitors from outside Germany accounted for 63 per cent of the total space.

Klaus Dittrich, chairman and CEO of Messe München, the organiser, said: “The response from the participants this year was amazing. The visitors at bauma always come looking to invest, but this year the exhibitors’ order books filled up much faster than expected. Many exhibitors are talking about a record level of demand at bauma 2016. And that is an extremely positive sign in this current uncertain climate.”

Johann Sailer, chairman of the VDMA Association for Construction Machinery and Building Material Machines, agreed. “bauma is the ideal platform for presenting innovative new developments, because it has a big impact in the industry around the world. Again in 2016 the world’s largest show of construction machinery will deliver impetus for further growth in our sector,” he said.”

The next bauma takes place from April 8 to 14, 2019 in Munich.