An exhibition in upswing and boasting a wealth of previews

Renewed trust among companies in the building field emerged from the 28^th edition of Samoter, the Triennial Earth Moving and Building Industry Machinery Exhibition after five days of shows, debates and business. Facts and figures are reassuring: 900 exhibitors, 37 countries present, 98 000 visitors. An important result, with a positive trend for attendance by international operators – more than 11 000 – that fully confirms the exhibition‘s international vocation. About 2000 people, moreover, took part in 50 conventions, seminars and training courses set up by the organisers in close collaboration with exhibitors and trade associations. Major interest in the event was also highlighted by the pages visited on the site – 2 million hits with translations in 10 languages achieving +43 % compared to 2008. More than 4000 visits were achieved by the “mobile” version (for mobile phones and latest generation iPhones).

Innovations at the exhibition especially included initiatives focusing on control of emissions, sustainable processing (Fig. 1), energy saving and safety. Astra (Fiat Industrial Group) unveiled a world preview of its gigantic new Rd40 dumper (Fig. 2) with an updated cab and on-board technologies. New Holland previewed a complete range of new products focusing on new standards and regulations covering emissions into the atmosphere, while Caterpillar among other things presented the new hydraulic 374 DL power shovel. Scai, representing Hitachi in Italy, also held a world preview of the first electrical mini power shovel, Volterra, a completely electrical unit ensuring zero gas emissions and low noise levels ideal for work in settings where respecting the environment is vital: this high-performance machine requires little or no maintenance and no changes of filters and oil.

Renault Trucks presented Premium Lander Optitrack, a 4x2 site truck with a simple button on the dashboard providing temporary 4x4 drive only when really necessary, thereby ensuring important savings in fuel consumption. Case proposed new solutions over the entire 2011-2012 range focusing on lower consumption and reduced emissions. A combination of Recirculated Cooled Exhaust Gas and Selective Catalytic Reduction cuts emissions of particulate by 90 % and ensures nitrogen oxide levels almost equal to zero.

JCB, with the JCB Ecomax engine, took the “Diesel of the year Award 2011” as the technically most advanced and ­innovative engine; the top of range Ecomax 4.8, thanks to ­latest generation 2000 bar common rail and variable ­geometry turbine, optimises consumption and ensures excellent torque values even at low rpm. Volvo in turn exploited the international stage at Samoter to launch the most important innovations in its Construction Equipment machinery.

In the road building sector, lastly, Dynapac chose Samoter as the stage for the market launch of its new range of wheel-mounted surface finishers, with working widths from 2-9 m. As well as sustainability, one of the main themes at the 28^th edition of Samoter was safety and in this sphere virtually all companies presented products designed to reduce the possibility of accidents. “Samoter outdid the market by overcoming the qualms of those who until six months ago did not believe it would be possible to organise an important event and especially one ensuring an effective base for company business with more than as fifty international delegations and many analytical conventions,” said Ettore Riello, President of Veronafiere. Samoter managed to provide positive signals for the field as a whole, including Italian companies.“