said. “You know at Liebherr we have high staff retention and close relationships with the local community.”

“We were lucky with cranes that during the beginning of the crises, the demand for large cranes was high to fill a lack of energy. People needed power plants, wind turbines, and the jobs in the petrochemicals industry were still good. We lost a number of small, construction-related cranes, but we could keep our turnover and even increase it a little bit by selling a higher proportion of bigger cranes.”

Liebherr has also invested heavily in its machines in preparation for the latest round of emission regulation which has forced or inspired (depending on your point of view), Western manufacturers to overhaul their equipment. CMME has already covered Caterpillar’s announcement that it is launching 60 new products in 2012, and UK-based JCB was particularly buoyant about its own Tier IIIA and Tier IIIB equipment.

Having quickly recovered from a disastrous 2008/2009, the company most famous for its Backhoe loader, recorded pre-tax profits of $570 million in 2011, up by almost 50% on 2010. The company launched 33 machines – its largest ever launch, including wheel loaders  – at Intermat, many of them to ensure compliancy of machines, but to also service the emerging markets, including the Middle East.

The company revealed its line-up of Dieselmax-powered Tier 2 excavators at the show, the JS200, JS210, JS220, as well as raising the possibility of that its latest Tier IV Interim machines could also be refitted with Tier2 kits for customers. Although its 24 to 36 tonne machines for Europe and North America still retain their Isuzu Interim engines, which comply with Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB regulations.

It also unveiled its complete 17-machine range of skid steers, as well as compact tracked loaders, mini-excavators, two wheeloaders and its largest ever, five-stage boom (a first for JCB), telehandler at an impressive press conference.

Close to the JCB stand were Haulotte and Terex-owned Genie, with both determined to show their progress in the Middle East region in terms of the AWP and telehandlers. Although not on display the Middle East-friendly GTH 4014 and GTH 4018’s sister machines on display demonstrated how the company continues to make progress in the art of keeping it simple; ideal for this market.

The company also demonstrated its progress in the field of anti-crush safety equipment, with three new designs, including the OPS (Operative Protective Structure), a tubular steel system it can fit to 1.8-2.4m platforms. Haulotte’s executives said the Middle East is proving to be one of its most important hunting grounds while revealing its prototype rough-terrain telescopic boom, HT23RTJ.

“This aerial work platform has been designed by our R&D department in close collaboration with a panel of customers to meet the needs of a range of industries working at heights up to 23m,” said the company. “It’s Ideal for many applications including construction work, the shipbuilding industry, chemical and petrochemical industries, and the aviation industry…, this machine has unsurpassed performance.”

Alexandre Saubot, CEO of Haulotte said the company is particularly positive it will see growth in the Middle East market.

“We have a pretty good trend coming from the emerging markets, the Middle East, Latin America and India,” said Saubot.

“We see a very positive trend coming from the Middle East, mainly compared to last year where business was very weak for the first half. We are pretty confident with all the projects there in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, and many other countries, we should post very good numbers for this region.” 

This year’s event was especially marked by a strong global line-up. Typically Caterpillar took a large stand, choosing to lead with infrastructure machinery, even laying down a mock-up of a road between the machines.

The world’s biggest construction machinery manufacturer had 40 of its 60 planned new machines on show, including  the 966K CVT (constant velocity transmission) wheel loader, its new F Series backhoes, the 428F and 432F, which feature a new loader linkage with greater lift and dump heights and increased lift capacity that look highly capable for this region.

It also had its tandem vibratory roller line with articulated and drum steer configurations, and its largest paver to date, the AP1055E paver, the B Series vibratory soil compactor line, and a pneumatic roller, the CW34.

“The new paver range is going to be pretty huge,” enthused Francine Shore, Cat spokesperson for EMEA region.

Doosan has figured quite prominently in CMME in recent months as it continues to boost its international presence, and featured its region-appealing DX225LCA excavator and DL250A wheel loader at the event.

The company also unveiled its 25th anniversary limited edition E-16 Bobcat compact excavator