Excon 2019 unveils new trends, products & technologies
CII, the organizer of Excon, is leaving no stone unturned to break previous records and make this 10th edition a ‘festival’ of the construction fraternity. We are looking forward to more than 1,250 exhibitors (including overseas), and 70,000 visitors at the BICES grounds, Bengaluru, from 10 – 14 December 2019.
Excon is coming at a time when the Indian economy has become as unpredictable and harsh as the climate. This is the third time since 2008 that an economic slowdown in the country has arrested the highly buoyant mood of the equipment manufacturers at the beginning of the year to one of ‘wait and watch’.
What should be the learning from the past and current scenarios? The message is loud and clear: First - be ready for such unpredictable headwinds; Second - go beyond set boundaries - start exploring unconventional application areas; go lean; innovate; upgrade; raise production to world standards; and explore new export markets.
The ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government came at a time when the industry was going through a tough phase (during 2012 - 2015). Manufacturers were incentivized to think big and beyond boundaries. Many OEMs began to upgrade their manufacturing facilities and integrated automation and robotics, adopted lean manufacturing systems and advanced technologies to produce equipment at par with world standards. They started investing more in R&D for design improvement and to bring more fuel efficiency, safety, and versatility in their machines, thereby giving more value to their customers. OEMs who took such initiatives, made a lot of headway and are now better placed not only in India but across the world, having expanded their export markets to numerous countries, including the developed regions.
At Excon, you will see OEMs – both multinational and home-grown - showcasing their achievements. This issue of NBM&CW gives a preview of over 100 equipment manufacturers, and insights into their plans and strategies for market development, their new product developments, and their initiatives for enhancing customer services and aftermarket support systems.
Internet of Things (IoT) has become a standard fitment with all OEMs, but one can expect to witness more futuristic technologies like Big Data, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at Excon. No doubt, these disruptive technologies will not only improve real time application, accuracy, site efficiency, and productivity, but will also help equipment buyers to select equipment as per their work profile and nature of business. Performance analysis and historical data of the equipment will determine which type and model is the most suitable for their current or next project.
But these are not the only things I can vouch for at Excon. I would also like to suggest that CE owners/buyers and contractors take the opportunity to have one-to-one meetings with manufacturers and their technology experts to get an update on the improvisations being made on their existing product-line, and learn how their new equipment will be more compact, versatile, lighter in weight with use of high strength steel, give more ease of operation with ergonomically enhanced operator cabins offering all-around visibility, and quick access to engine parts for easier maintenance, and so on.
Another talking point at Excon this year will be a better understanding of BS IV emission norms effective from October 2020, as there will be a lot of changes in the equipment, which one should know all about.
Here, I would also like to highlight some positive indicators for 2020 and beyond. First of all, we must acknowledge that we can’t grow in double digits like the way China has been growing since the last three decades. As a democratic country, we have to deal with many pros and cons of democracy and be ready for such economic fluctuations. During the past four years, the CE industry has seen robust growth; but the first two quarters of 2019- 2020 FY have been the worst and market sentiments are really down.
Now, the question arises: is the market really this bad?
As far as I understand, it’s not; whatever the projected numbers indicate, we will close FY2019-2020 at the 2017-18 numbers, i.e around 70,000 units. And in FY 2017-18, we were quite happy with these figures, so, in this fiscal we should be satisfied, if not happy! Given the government’s focus on infrastructure building and the steps taken to improve the business sentiment of the corporate world, FY 2020-2021 is going to be much better. The government has taken several corrective steps to accelerate growth and a multi-prong approach to bring investments and industry-friendly policies, which will greatly help infra development in the country.
The roads & highways sector will remain the star performer, while rural connectivity and urban infrastructure, including metro rails, airports, elevated roads, and ports will also drive demand for construction equipment. The government has committed to invest 1.4 trillion USD in the next five years, so, even if we achieve 60-65% of the target, it would be close to one trillion USD, which is huge! Projects are becoming time-bound, bigger in size, and more complex. Contractors, therefore, will have to increase their project execution capabilities with more mechanization, specialized machines, and the most effective solutions.
So, Friends, come participate in Excon 2019 and take the opportunity to get the latest information on futuristic technologies, market trends, and new developments in equipment design, features, and production. Team NBM&CW looks forward to welcoming you with a nice cup of coffee at our stall D59 in Hall -1.
S. A. Faridi
Managing Editor
NBM&CW December 2019
