Optimism evident at Bauma show

Two years ago the buzz word in the industry was productivity, today it has been replaced by the term efficiency. On the surface they may seem to mean the same thing but they mark the difference in the economic climate and a new approach to aggregate production.

According to the dictionary, productivity is defined as producing readily or abundantly, whereas efficiency's meaning is accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort. The difference between the two is the emphasis on cost - something the industry has been very conscious of in the last 18 months.

Today's production levels are well below those of 2008 and the impact of the poor weather in Europe during the first quarter has not helped the market regain its buoyancy. Nonetheless, most quarry operators are reporting a slow in the rate of sales declines compared to the first quarter in 2009 and are optimistic that cost cutting last year will benefit this year's figures.

That feeling of optimism was also clear at the 386 Bauma exhibition in Munich, Germany in April this year. While the volcanic ash cloud may have disrupted almost everyone's travel plans, many still found a way to get to the show by surface transport proving that there is demand to find out about the latest technology.

It is these new product launches at Bauma, and those planned for the upcoming 427 Hillhead exhibition, that really underlines the efficiency drive in the industry. Reports gathered by ABE and it's sister publication World Highways' new team on the equipment launched at Bauma can be found at www.dailynews-online.com/Bauma. It was clear that equipment producers seem to really understand that in order to justify future capital investment, quarry equipment needs to deliver maximum productivity with minimum whole life costs.

The efficiency theme continues in this issue with some of our key features.

This issue's quarry profile reports on 643 Cemex's £2.3million (€2.6million) investment in new water recycling technology at its Dove Holes Quarry in Derbyshire, UK that will create more efficient access to the reserves as well as reduce water demand. Efficiency of washing equipment in terms of power and water use is explored in the equipment focus section and the conclusion of specialists in this industry appears to be that this equipment has already achieved high levels of efficiency.

So will we ever return to the days when productivity is the key word? The answer I think is yes but it will more likely go hand in hand with efficiency in future and there will be a tighter focus on cost per tonne going forward. It is more the case of timing for the recovery in Europe - in some regions it is already underway but in others it is taking time to gather pace and will take time to build from the current low level of activity. most quarry operators are reporting a slow in the rate of sales declines compared to the first quarter in 2009 and are optimistic that cost cutting last year will benefit this year's figures.