Simply SMOPyC

Organisers of SMOPyC 2005 boast that this year's exhibition will be bigger than Intermat 2003 and are hoping to establish the show as Europe's second largest, behind Bauma. Exhibition space has been extended by 24 % to 200000 m², making it the largest ever SMOPyC, and the outdoor demonstration area has been enlarged.

The recent appointment of Zaragoza as the host city for the International EXPO 2008, which could result in up to €100 million being invested in the city, is expected to drive visitor numbers at SMOPyC 2005 up to a new record.

As far as the show itself is concerned, there is a healthy mix of both domestic and international exhibitors, although new products are scarce. The show will see the Spanish debut of products that were launched at Bauma last year, mainly exhibited by domestic dealers and agents.

Cranes will be well represented at the show, starting with the winner of the 'Innovations Awards'. Ibergruas, the Spanish Potain distributor, has been awarded a bronze award for the MDT 98 tower crane that it will be showing. Judges were impressed with the 6 tonne capacity crane's folding counter jib and the ability to interchange parts with other cranes in Potain's MD and MC ranges.

Ibergruas is also hoping to exhibit a Potain Igo self erecting tower crane that has been especially designed for use in Spain. Jesus Salgado Couso, responsible for sales in central Spain, at Ibergruas, is hoping that the new crane will be ready in time for the show. No further details on the crane were available as IC went to press, but Salgado explained that it would be geared to lifting pallets of bricks, the mainstay material in Spanish construction, rather than pre-fabricated pieces.

Cranes on the Linden Comansa stand will be from the company's LC and LCL ranges of flat top towers. Export manager Christopher Dawe says the company is producing two cranes a day to keep up with demand, and will choose its exhibits from what is available at the time.

The company will move to a new factory later this year on the back of what it says is its “best ever year” in 2004, where record sales and orders were achieved.

Spanish debut

Another Spanish manufacturer that will be exhibiting is Luna Equipos Industriales, which will be displaying models from its range of industrial and truck mounted mobile cranes. As with Comansa, exact details of which cranes will be exhibited were not available at the time of going to press.

Liebherr Iberica and Liebherr Industrias Metalicas will have one of the largest display areas and will be showing mobile and crawler cranes from Liebherr-Werk Ehingen and tower cranes from Liebherr-Werk Biberach. Presented for the first time to the Spanish market will be the LTC 1055, the 55 tonne capacity compact mobile crane that was launched at Bauma last year.

A range of Goldhofer trailers and specialized transport equipment will also be on display, as Liebherr Industrias Metalicas is the Spanish sales agent for the German manufacturer.

At the heart of the Manitowoc stand is expected to be the new Grove GMK 5130 (see Equipment matters, page 13) all terrain crane and the European made Model 15000 crawler crane, both of which will be making their first appearances in Spain.

Terex will show a range of its cranes, and the former PPM models, which were re-branded Terex-Demag AC series models last year, are expected to take centre stage. Tower cranes on display are from the Peiner and Comedil ranges.

At the show Unic Cranes Europe is launching the A094CR, described by the company as “the world's smallest crane”. At 590 mm wide and weighing 1000 kg, it is designed for manoeuvring into the most confined working areas. Once in position, the A094CR can lift 995 kg, with its 5.49 m boom that gives a maximum hook height of 5.6 m.

Cranes from Tadano Faun, Palfinger and Sennebogen will be on display on the Mulder Y Co. stand. The Spanish sales company will show Tadano Faun ATF 110G-S (110 tonne capacity) and ATF 160G-S (160 tonne capacity) mobile cranes as well as a range of Palfinger hydraulic loader cranes.

Sennebogen units on display will be the 40 tonne capacity 630 HD, the 80 tonne capacity 683 HD telescopic crawler cranes and the 110 tonne capacity model 3300 crawler crane.

A wide range of other lifting related products and accessories will also be on display, ranging from operator assistance devices to remote controls and safety equipment.

A full list of lifting and transportation-related exhibitors appears below: