What the BAUMA mega trade fair revealed to us about the building of the future
The big trends at BAUMA 2025, the world’s largest construction machinery trade fair, came as no surprise: networking, autonomy, electrification, sustainability. But what does the industry make of it? What is still a vision, what is already a concrete USP? We were live on site and have compiled the opinions of CEOs, product managers and developers here.
I still remember the first time I stood in front of a mining truck in the USA in 1990. The tires alone towered over me by at least a head, not to mention the rest of the vehicle. The dimensions have not become smaller since then – but the emissions have. Sustainability has become one of the top purchasing criteria for construction companies. Its importance as a focus topic at the world’s largest construction and construction machinery trade fair, BAUMA in Munich, is correspondingly high.
Ever bigger & stronger? Ever smarter & more electric!
The companies see sustainability as a driver of technological innovation and digitalization. Not only in vehicles, but also in cement production, for example, which offers a major lever for reducing emissions: “Our development steps are already helping construction companies to make significant savings on cement,” reports Gerhard Schmidt, CEO of Coatib, a specialist manufacturer of industrial coatings:
What we optimize now will also benefit our future generations.
Gerhard Schmidt, CEO at Coatib
Electric, connected, intelligent - how far along is the industry?
Another key theme with close links to sustainability runs through the industry: construction machinery is becoming electric, networked and intelligent. Maximilian Bischoff, Product Manager Utility Tunneling bei Herrenknecht Tunneling Systems, erläutert das am Beispiel von Rohrvortriebssystemen, die etwa beim Verlegen der Stromkabelstränge für die Südlink-Trasse eingesetzt werden:
Instead of diesel generators, the systems are now fully electric and locally emission-free. The customer can connect them to the grid depending on availability – or the supercapacitors can be replaced quickly and efficiently if the charge level falls below a defined level.”
Maximilian Bischoff, Product Manager Utility Tunneling, Herrenknecht Tunneling Systems
Change of scene to the outdoor area of BAUMA. Here they stand (or rather: run), the colossi: cranes tens of meters high, giant excavators, lift systems and other large-scale equipment that were brought here especially for the trade fair at enormous logistical expense. And while a dozen or so visitors squeeze into the bucket (!) of the new Liebherr mining excavator for a souvenir photo, the operator is already taking his seat at lofty heights. Photo session finished, now the shovel is lifted high above our heads – powered by a gigantic electric motor. And unlike with diesel drives, you can actually understand your own words.
Komatsu also sees electrification and digitalization as game changers. The big breakthrough is still to come, explains Tito Baldan, Senior General Manager Distribution for Komatsu Europe:
Electricity, electronics and (artificial) intelligence are the present, but they will only become a commodity in the future. At the moment, many customers are still exploring which use cases will bring them which specific benefits. The focus is usually on two aspects: the automation of driver tasks to counteract the shortage of skilled workers – and the optimized, energy-saving operation of the machines.”
Tito Baldan, Senior General Manager Distribution, Komatsu Europe
Will the mobile machines of the future work by themselves?
Andreas Heinrich’s assessment seems like a summary of the entire industry. As Managing Director, he is responsible for the dealer business of Bell Equipment, a large South African manufacturer of mobile machines for raw material extraction and earthmoving. Bell also focuses on three customer requirements: autonomous functions, electrification and energy consumption.
When it comes to autonomy, customers are primarily concerned with optimizing operations. This does not mean that we are replacing people – but in terms of productivity, durability of the material and energy savings, technical intelligence makes many things better and can thus effectively support the driver.”
Andreas Heinrich, CEO at Bell Equipment
And how electric is the mining of the future? For Heinrich, the answer lies in both: “The topography is a key factor. Electric power makes sense where mining vehicles go downhill with a heavy load, recover and go back uphill without a load. But we will also see conventionally powered vehicles in the future. And that means more exciting developments towards intelligently controlled, energy-efficient drives.
Author
Bernhard Pluskwik
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