53
april 2014
international
construction
generalmanager orCFO.
As well as high-level visitors, the
show alsowas amagnet for senior
executives from themanufacturers
exhibiting. Speaking during
ConExpo, Caterpillar chairman
andCEODougOberhelman
saidhewas guardedly optimistic
on prospects for the global
construction equipment industry
this year, singling outNorth
America as one of themost
promisingmarkets.
“It is amixed bag, withNorth
America the strongest growth
prospect. I am guardedly
optimistic, but the global economy
is a fragile thing,” he said.
Terex chairman andCEORon
DeFeowas similarly confident
aboutTerex’s prospects in 2014.
He saidhe expected strong sales to
continue in the company’s lifting
equipment division, Genie.
“From a financial point of view,
fleets are old and there is high
utilisation today. Used equipment
values are strong, andultimately
the customer base is planningwell
when it comes to replacing fleet,”
he said.
CNHConstructionEquipment
CEOMarioGasparri also forecast
that this year wouldherald a
recovery for themanufacturer after
a difficult 2013. “Moving forward
we see amuchmore positive
outlook for 2014. InConExpo, for
just under a quarter were from
outside theUS.TheAEM said
the 31,000 international visitors
toConExpo 2014 represented a
+9% increase on the 2011 show.
It added that 170 countries were
represented, compared to 159
in 2011, withCanada, China,
Europe andLatinAmerica heavily
represented.
The show also set a new record
for exhibit space, with 2,000
companies takingmore than
2.35million ft
2
(218,000m
2
) of
space – equivalent to about 31
football pitches.The co-located
IFPE exhibition for fluid power,
transmission andmotion control
had 400 exhibitors over 161,000
ft
2
(49,100m
2
).
On the quality of visitors, the
AEM said 75% of those attending
ConExpo 2014 hadmanagerial
roles, and that 36% of these
held top-level job titles, such as
president, owner, vice president,
ConExpo
review
EQUIPMENT
ConExpo review
The people andmachines thatmade the news at lastmonth’s ConExpo-Con/Agg exhibition,
where therewas an air of cautious optimism about prospects for the industry this year.
The Las Vegas
Convention Center
played host to
ConExpo from 4 to
8March and nearly
130,000 visitors
attended.
M
arch’sConExpo-Con/Agg
exhibition inLasVegas,
USwas a launch pad
for numerous new construction
machines, as well as ameeting
place for the industry.The event,
which took place at the LasVegas
ConventionCenter from 4 to 8
March, attractednearly 130,000
visitors according to its organiser,
theAssociation of Equipment
Manufacturers (AEM). It said this
exceeded attendance in 2011, the
last time the showwas held, and
was second only toConExpo 2008.
Of those that attended the show,
Caterpillar chairman and CEO
Doug Oberhelman said hewas
guardedly optimistic on prospects
for the global construction
equipment industry this year.
Ron DeFeo, chairman and CEO of
Terex, expected strong sales to
continue in the company’s acess
and telehandler business, Genie.
