Plant blossoms in Paris sunshine

Intermat in Paris may not be as big as Bauma but it is still a really good Continental show and an excellent barometer of what is happening.

After four days there the consensus is that the temperature of the industry is rising. Maybe we are not headed for a year-long heatwave business-wise but some long sunny spells seem certain.

On many stands the euphoria from new products and good sales figures was palpable.

None more so than the adjoining displays of Case and Fermec. Both made great play of their new skid steer loader range as well as revised and upgraded backhoe loaders. Excavators were not forgotten either with the 588 models from Case making their international show debut. Judging by constant crowds on both stands there was keen interest from both hirers and contractors.

Mike Edmondson, construction equipment vice president of Case Europe was bullish: "Intermat is traditionally good for us. This year it's even better because we now have Fermec which gives us a two-pronged strategy.

"Our marketing thrust has been thought through and you will see changes as it develops and gathers pace. Fermec will strengthen its dealer network and we are both aiming for improvements on all fronts including skid steers where our new models are very strong."

CAT and its French mono-dealer Bergerat Monnoyeur were in buoyant mood too as they used Intermat to launch the G-Series version of the mighty 992. Now equipped with a monoboom front end (which saves 7t over the old dual-armed model) the particular 992 at Paris was said to be "possibly heading for the UK." Watch this space for details.

Intermat also featured the show debut of CAT's B-series excavators. Judging by its success with the first series CAT can look forward to even better sales of the new, improved models.

Ingersoll-Rand seems to go from strength to strength and its huge stand was covered with new kit. The Titan 225 and 325 machines from ABG took pride of place but the new ECM570 crawler drill was very impressive too. It uses a Montabert HC hydraulic drifter which keeps "everything in the family."

Montabert itself launched a pair of hammers the 95 and 150. The new models are aimed at small and medium machines (eg. skidsteers, minis or backhoe loaders) from 2.5t to 12t and offer protection against so-called backfiring.

Komatsu had not trailed it before the show but the eye catcher on its stand had to be the purple PW-128UU wheeled excavator.

It is a brand-new model featuring an articulated boom that folds up neatly for travel. And travel it does - at up to 50kph! It features full auto-transmission and has MacPherson strut hydropneumatic suspension to all four wheels.

JCB was flying the flag very determinedly with a rake of first-time shown kit. The display included all the new backhoe loaders, the new small artic, hydrostatic wheeled loaders and their big brothers the 446 and 456. Every time I passed the JCB stand there was a crowd watching the usual excellent show of performing machines. Even the weather was kind with the sunlight glinting off the JCB yellow.

Benford used Intermat to announce its new strategic alliance with Stanley Hydraulic Tools of Milwaukee, USA. From June 1, 1997 Benford will manufacture the Stanley hydraulic power pack range at Warwick.

The Stanley range of hand-held and boom-mounted breakers and other hydraulic tools will be imported and sold through the existing Benford/Stanley network. Benford light equipment manager Simon Milligan heads up the sales team.

Samsung was a little tucked-away amid the Intermat crowds but marketing manager Nick Rose was cheerful and confident. "We've made the move back to the UK and it's shortened our communication lines to the design and production teams - which has to be positive news," he said.

"Sales are growing both in the UK and Europe and that's excellent news too." He was probably heartened by the news that Korean rival Hyundai had quietly closed its Belgian factory a couple of weeks before.

Amilcare Merlo himself was on the stand as Merlo's latest Roto 40.18EV went through its impressive repertoire, taking its payload up to 18m and fully-rotating 360¼ into the bargain.

No wonder Sr Merlo and John Iles were wearing big smiles. The Cuneo factory cannot build these machines quick enough.

That's it from Intermat; next year it's BAUMA '98. See you at SED '97!