Assodimi's 'Rental Zone' returns to the SAIE show

Italian rental and distributors association Assodimi and its rental arm Assonolo are returning to the SAIE exhibition in Bologna this year to recreate the 'Nololand' area dedicated to rental.

Assodimi has in recent years experimented with a variety of venues for Nololand, including the Samoter and Expoedilizia exhibitions, but has decided to return to SAIE, which remains the largest annual construction show in Italy.

Nololand will be held in Hall 36 where around 20 small stands will be allocated to rental companies, insurance suppliers and software specialists. In addition, a 500 m2 outside space in Area 48 (close to Hall 36) will be reserved for equipment supplier members who are targeting rental companies with their products.

This year's SAIE - on 5 - 8 October - takes place against a backdrop of bad economic news for Italy. In July, the government announced spending cuts for 2012 and 2013 amounting to €45 billion, and economic uncertainty is affecting investment in construction machinery, with sales in the first half of this year down 32.8% according to Italy's construction equipment association, Unacea.

"It is the whole Italian market of construction machines that is going through a serious crisis", said Enrico Santini, Unacea president.

"Although exports partially compensate for the sales drop in the interior market, our firms cannot survive the current situation of political instability, delay of payments on the part of the public administration, stoppage of the building yards, and overall lack of an industrial policy regarding our sector."

There will also be fewer aerial platform exhibitors at SAIE this year. The access division of the ANFIA trade association, which has almost 20 access supplier members (including GSR, Oil & Steel, CTE and Multitel Pagliero among others), said in July that "a large majority" of these members would not attend SAIE this year and would instead treat it as a biennial event, returning in 2012.

"The current economic situation continues to be characterised by a rather stunted recovery", said the association in a statement, "This situation requires the companies in the sector to carefully select their investments, including in terms of marketing and communication."

Even so, the access sector will still have some representation, with companies such as Alimak Hek, Alstrad, Bluelift, CO.ME.T, Electroelsa, GRC Work Platform, Isoli, RAM and Svelt all attending.

See the September-October issue of IRN for a preview of the show.