Constructionshows
Neumünster; The meeting point for “construction managers and foremen” focussing the increased requirements for safety regulations and the special theme of the diversity and sustainability of the bricks particularly directed to the architects were the top issues at the fair NordBau 2016. In the midst of Germany’s largest highway construction site, the expansion of the A7, the construction industries, politics and administration discussed infrastructural development, planning and housing. 848 exhibitors from 15 countries and 60.200 visitors came with the best summer weather to the 61st edition of the NordBau exhibition in Neumünster.
The full closure of the A7 that held for several days took some people off the track to the exhibition. So compared to the previous years, slightly less visitors were present. “This is not a reason to whine” explained Reinhard von der Wehl, Managing Director of the NordBau-exhibitor ATLAS von der Wehl. “We know that with the expansion of the A7, the location of Neumünster as well as our exhibition will be strengthened. We also made many good contacts this year.”
There was a particularly large interest from the state government of Schleswig-Holstein to use the NordBau exhibition as platform for the exchange between politics and business. During the opening ceremony Torsten Albig, the Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein pleaded for the strengthening of the social housing, and the State Minister of Economy Reinhard Meyer talked on the acceleration of the planning, while the State Parliament President Klaus Schlie was on the site for two days. Denmark was back again, for the 41st time. The new Danish Royal Consul General in Hamburg, Martine Gram Barbry, acknowledged the opening of its long-standing partnership with Northern Europe’s largest compact exhibition for construction.
The construction industry is booming, the requirements at the construction sites are getting bigger. That was why occupational safety and efficiency of operational procedures were the focus of the meeting point for “construction managers and foremen”. The series of events were organized by German Accident Insurance Institution for the public sector in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg “Unfallkasse Nord”, the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the building trade “Berufsgenossenschaft Bau” together with the Association of the Building Industry, Environmental and Machine Engineering “Verband der Baubranche, Umwelt- und Maschinentechnik e.V.” (VDBUM). Nearly 300 executives from construction companies and administrations participated.
Dieter Schnittjer, member of the fair’s advisory committee and Managing Director of VDBUM, said: “The necessity to learn the impact of the regulations that were enforced since June 1st, 2015 on safety, especially with respect to occupational safety is mandatory. Therefore, in corporation with our partners, we will present the meeting point for ‘construction managers and foremen’ also at the next NordBau exhibition. Main subject will be the digitalized networking of the actors in the entire construction process.”
The special theme of the 2016 NordBau exhibition was the brick, following the award to the warehouse district Hamburg Speicherstadt as UNESCO World Heritage site. “To us, it was important to have provided a special offer for architects and designers. The NordBau exhibition is Germany’s largest platform of bricks. The varieties of colors and shapes that our exhibitors displayed had never been so great”, explained Dirk Iwersen, Managing Director of the Holstenhallen Neumünster GmbH. An exhibition of the brick bulding related competition Fritz-Höger-Preis accompanied the special theme “bricks” at NordBau.
In construction machines, digitization was the main topic. The 2016 NordBau exhibition showed all the new features, amongst which were electrically-powered construction machines. With respect to health and noise protection, the electric motors particularly gained interest also from horticulture companies.
Under the motto “fascination construction trades” over 1,000 young people were attracted to the nordjob day at NordBau exhibition. “The image of the building professions in the students’ minds is noticeably better. This is good news in times of shortage of skilled workers. We appreciate the great interests that schools showed to the NordBau exhibition”, recounted Frerich Ibelings, Chief Executive Officer of the Schleswig-Holstein association of construction industries. Some 4,000 construction experts again participated in this year’s 45 seminars and events.
Highlight of the 2016 NordBau exhibition was the appearance of the German national craftsmen team. Before hundreds of spectators, the carpenters, tilers, bricklayers, and plasterers for the December European Championships in Gothenburg trained. The painters and varnisher again honored the winners of their annual performance competition.
The next NordBau exhibition will take place from the 13th – 17th of September 2017 in Neumünster.
Background NordBau
On approximately 69,000 m2 of outdoor area and over 20,000 m2 of hall space, Northern Europe’s compact exhibition for construction offers approximately 850 exhibition spaces every year to present the entire spectrum of construction with modern building materials and components, powerful machines, municipal machines and attachments for construction and trade as well as the latest energy technology. The NordBau is at home in Neumünster since 1955 and cooperates with the partner country Denmark for over 40 years. Over 60,000 visitors visit the exhibition every year.
nordbau press release