EQUIPMENT
60
Intermat Middle East
international
construction
january-february 2014
Exhibition
review
Exhibitors at the third Intermat Middle East
exhibition in Abu Dhabi were buoyed by
prospects for the 2020 World Expo, as well as
the 2022 World Cup.
Chris Sleight
reports.
T
he third Intermat Middle
East exhibition in Abu
Dhabi, UAE, was opened by
His Excellency Dr Abdullah Belhaif
Al-Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public
Works. It is a joint venture between
Comexposium, the organiser of the
Intermat exhibition in Paris, France
and Clarion Events Middle East at
the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition
Centre (ADNEC). This year there
were 130 exhibitors, representing
200 brands in the construction
equipment industry.
Intermat exhibition director
Maryvonne Lanoe said, “2013
was not the biggest year in market
history for the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) area, despite the
growth seen in promising areas
such as Saudi Arabia, UAE and
Iraq. However, the announcement
of the World Expo in Dubai has
already fuelled the market with
orders for road building, sewerage
works, transport and tourism
infrastructure.”
The significance of the World
Expo for the market has been
confirmed by several exhibitors.
Bobcat’s regional director for
the Middle East & Africa, Gaby
Rhayem, said, “Our dealers are
optimistic. The announcement of
the Dubai Expo 2020 along with
the 2022 World Cup (in Qatar)
will be a benefit. I don’t think the
Expo 2020 will create a boom, but
it will help.”
However, Mr Rhayem said Saudi
Arabia was the dominant market
in the Middle East, accounting
for about 60% of all construction
equipment sales. However, he
added that growth in the UAE
and Qatar should be beneficial to
restore more balance.
“When you have a country
making up that much of your
business it can be dangerous. If
something happens, which can be
an issue in the Middle East, you
have a problem,” he said.
The company used the Intermat
Middle East to launch its 17.5 m
reach T40180 telescopic handler
in the region. It is Bobcat’s largest
rigid frame telescopic handler and,
together with the new T40140
14 m model, has an increased
lifting height.
Mr Rhayem said, “The market
[for telescopic handlers] is growing
at 10% per year. The Middle East
is focussed on excavators, loaders
and skid steer loaders, but there is
good growth in telehandlers and
the market is now around 550
machines per year.
“We are moving the mentality
of our customers in the Middle
East to more ‘fancy’ machines like
telehandlers, mini excavators and
tracked loaders,” he said.
According to Mr Rhayem, the
versatility of telescopic handlers,
with their ability to carry buckets,
forks, access platforms and a range
of other attachments is a key selling
point, despite other comparable
lifting equipment such as truck
cranes being cheaper.
Another interesting launch at
the show’s was French generator
manufacturer SDMO’s unveiling
of Rental Power Compact range
in the Middle East. The machines
have been available in Europe for
some years with engines meeting
the region’s demanding exhaust
emissions laws. However the
machines unveiled at Intermat
Middle East exhibition use less
complex diesels, which are more
suitable for the region’s legislative
framework and price requirements.
Marketing manager Philippe
Forest said, “Construction is very
important in this region and in
the past we didn’t have the right
products.” He added, “The weather
is the other big difference of course,
so we have developed products that
run at high ambient temperatures
with different cooling systems.”
Of the rental market in the
region he said, “It is not developed
compared to Europe, but it is
still significant. We sell to rental
companies and in some countries
our dealers rent if there is not an
established network – it really
depends on the country.”
According to regional sales
director Laurent Berthouloux, the
biggest market in the region is
Saudi Arabia. “The market is worth
about US$ 300 million per year for
our sector,” he said, adding, “Doha
(the capital of Qatar) is coming up.
Bobcat’s regional director
for the Middle East & Africa,
Gaby Rhayem.
SDMO launched
its Rental Power
Compact generators in the
region at Intermat Middle East.
