BAUMA 2016: More Bigger and More Expensive

Since 1989, we as ERKE has been attending to BAUMA fair continuously with our clients. The first BAUMA we attended was in 1989, and at those times, BAUMA was held in same place as where OctoberFest would be at. Comparing to the current fair ground, previous ground was central and had easy access opportunity.

When it was decided to have a new Munich Airport, it was decided to use the old airport land as the massive fair ground we know today.



I arrived to Munich a day before the fair for Soilmec’s Dealers Meeting, and joined the meetings in a 4-star hotel. A week before the BAUMA, the hotel was rated as 75 EUR, before fair started 175 EUR and 540-600 EUR during BAUMA.

Munchners were waiting for BAUMA attendees with their over priced hotels, restaurants, taxis and such. The German mentality we know goes upside-down before BAUMA and after BAUMA. What bothers me the most about this is not having another option. Unless I’m willing to stay in Austria and take a hour long train trip back anf forth like some of my friends.

Bauma 2016 ErkeGroup Team

The Association that organizes BAUMA decided to include the parking to the fair ground because of the high demand of Chinese attendees. As a result, the already huge fair ground became even bigger with the outside area (FS and FN) and this is how BAUMA became the fair thats impossible to walk around.

Bauma 2016 Soilmec Stand

Excessive demand and over the top capital ambition caused BAUMA to be an un-ambulatory fair. Just like Istanbul’s traffic, when the destination is noticed on the map, and taking into count the distance, you give up. It was impossible for us to meet our friends and clients in the fair ground due to lengthy distance.

Bauma 2016 PTC.Fayat Stand

BAUMA 2016 was so well orginized, even the small m2 areas were rented out; to keychain makers, ice cream sellers, toy stores… To the things far from the machinery industry. This was a great example of a German way of business, taking into account every small areas and turning it into revenue.

Bauma 2016 IHC Fundex Stand

Officially, BAUMA has been visited 580,000 times in 7 days. I assume, families with kids, sisters, brides, and every single person was included to this number. Because from the professionals analysis, they have found a 20% droppage since 2013. BAUMA’s calculations must be incorrect, whereas Turkey was not announces being in the top 10 countries who visited the fair.

Bauma 2016 S Grindex Pomps Stand

Turkey had a record number of attendees with 145 stands. The different amount of products, quality and presentation skills make other countries manufacturers jealous. And still, Turkey is not being announced being in the top 10 countries who visited BAUMA. We have to make new evaluations on how the fair management evaluates their values.

Bauma 2016 CompAir Stand

From now on, Germany’s “I’m the best, I’ll do what I want” mentality should be up to discussion. The pricing from the stands to logistics, hotels to restaurants, should be acceptably priced. Otherwise, the amount of people who follow BAUMA online through Social Media is in increase anyways and the people who visit every BAUMA will come to realizing they already know all the brands and don’t need to attend the following fair.

Bauma 2016 Zoomlion Rough Terrain Crane Stand

Although, we would like to give some gold value suggestions for people planning to attend the next Bauma. 1- use your old sneakers, 2- it always rains, to do bring a raincoat, 3- wear a face mask when going into the WC , 4- they will always offer beer, so learn where the WC is and how long the line will be before drinking, 5- rent a house, don’t stay in a hotel, 6- don’t plan on seeing everything, just visit the stands worth seeing.