Visitors will find all of “the usual suspects” at the show this year, as well as several new features that will focus on the hot topics of today.

by Kerry Clines, Senior Editor

From April 20 through April 25, the Paris-Nord Villepente Convention and Exhibition Center will be packed with thousands of major players from the construction and construction materials industry. Intermat expects to set a record in attendance with more than 200,000 visitors.

The convention center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday, providing visitors with a glimpse of the latest products, equipment, and technology available in the industry.

Manufacturers will be on hand to point out special features and answer questions about their products. Side-by-side comparisons will help with the decision-making process for choosing the right piece of equipment.

A full 30,000 square meters of outdoor demonstration space will be available to exhibitors, providing them with an opportunity to show visitors how their machinery performs in a real construction-site setting. The demonstrations are life size and in real time, making them a favorite among industry professionals and all who attend.

Intermat will feature several new initiatives this year, addressing many of the concerns voiced around the world. In addition to the traditional sectors exhibiting at Intermat, the show is promoting high-potential industries that will include:

* Mines & Quarries, Drilling and Boring;

* Equipment, Components, and Accessories; and

* Handling, Logistics, and Forklifts.

Intermat goes “green”

This year, sustainable development and the environment are hot topics that affect every country in attendance. For this reason, Intermat will offer a special focus on those topics through its Innovation Awards and the ECO Public Works Showcase.

* The Innovation Awards will include a newly created Sustainable Development Prize, in addition to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Prizes. Winners will be selected from entries submitted by Intermat exhibitors and will be judged by a jury of specialists and experts on a number of criteria including productivity improvements, ease and simplification of maintenance, and ease of use. The jury will include representatives with European technical and technological expertise and skills in the public and private domains. Results will be announced during Pre-Intermat this month; presentation of awards will take place at Intermat during an opening-day ceremony.