Capital Equipment News February 2018

EDITOR'S COMMENT

DELIBERATING THE FUTURE

I have had the privilege of attending several major capital equipment exhibitions – both local and international – during my time as the editor of capital equipment-focused publications. As you will see in the Bauma Preview Feature in this edition of Capital Equipment News , there is absolutely no doubt that tradeshows of this nature can be extremely beneficial both to end users and providers of plant. Ahead of bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, probably the largest trade fair of its kind on the continent, it is worthwhile to note that the southern African capital equipment

market is very competitive, with good equipment choices significantly affecting the chance of success. With a large number of brands competing, there is value for users of equipment to be able to visit one location and interact closely with manufacturers and distributors to help guide those critical buying decisions. While the exhibition has always been regarded as the launchpad for new technologies, I am thrilled to see that the organisers have gone further this time by offering an essential supporting programme which gives both exhibitors and visitors a comprehensive overview of the technologies of the future. The North American-based Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), joint venture partner of bauma CONEXPO AFRICA, is bringing to the show tech talks with top representatives from renowned businesses and universities. The recorded sessions were first presented at AEM’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 exhibition. The topics discussed will range from the smart construction site, with the use of robots, to technologies for building resilient and sustainable infrastructure. While discussing matters of the present is essential, I am glad that there is also greater focus on tackling the future. It’s very important to understand how we have moved from the dark ages – which really weren't all that long ago – to where we are today, and where we are likely to be in the next few years. It is critical to understand how, and how quickly, technology evolves, and why it matters. With the speed of technological evolution and a general reluctance to accept that how we do things today can easily change tomorrow, it is no wonder many businesses have struggled to keep up. While there are still echoes of trepidation in certain quarters of the industry, especially when topics such as connectivity, electromobility and automation are

mentioned, the fact of the matter is that these issues are not far from becoming reality, and the order of the day. I recently attended a Volvo Trucks press conference and one of the executives was so blunt about current trends – even going so far as to predict that they will happen in the next 10 years. He is of the view that in 2030, connectivity between trucks will limit traffic jams on the roads, adding that, by the same year, current environmental threats might be a thing of the past if electrification efforts continue unabated. Volvo Trucks will start selling electric trucks in Europe next year, with the first units being put into operation with selected reference customers as early as this year. He also noted that in 2030, accidents will be extremely rare as technology will significantly minimise the human element in the operation of vehicles, a likely scenario given that 90% of accidents are a result of human error. It is critical to understand that the equipment industry, like any other sector in the world, is in for big changes and we shouldn’t underestimate them. I witnessed the future of the industry at CONEXPO-CON/AGG last year in Las Vegas at AEM’s Tech Experience, which will also be part of this year’s bauma CONEXPO AFRICA. The Tech Experience provided an interactive look at the trends and solutions in areas such as job site, workforce and infrastructure. It is tremendously exciting to see how technology has advanced exponentially over the past three years. Today we have autonomous trucks, and augmented reality that allows users to see a virtual image through a pair of glasses and create drawings on a job site. I commend platforms such as bauma CONEXPO AFRICA for opening up podiums to talk about these realities. It is their role to raise awareness of new and future products and technologies, drive adoption and industry efficiency.

Munesu Shoko – Editor

capnews@crown.co.za

@CapEquipNews

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS FEBRUARY 2018 2