The 2024 edition of the tradeshow, with its redesigned offering and format, registered over its four-day duration 127,500 entries, 21% of which from outside France and from 130 countries. A total of 1,065 exhibitors, including 68% from outside France, welcomed a high-quality visitor audience, delighted to witness the industry’s drive in favour of environmental and technological progress. The show acted as a business-conducive catalyst, with a widely acknowledged increase in the proportion of decision makers. A third of the visitors came with investment plans to accelerate the low carbon and digital transition of construction projects. With 30% more contacts per day per exhibitor compared with its 2018 edition, INTERMAT 2024 was the federating point of convergence for all the professionals who came in search of a concentrate of innovation to address the climate and societal challenges faced by construction. Exhibitors and visitors met up in a particularly animated and convivial atmosphere.
An unprecedented mobilisation by the construction industry
The exhibition was opened by the chairmen of the five main construction trade associations in France (DLR, EVOLIS, FFB, FNTP and SEIMAT), united and committed through the signature of the manifesto “4 keys to support the decarbonisation of construction equipment”.
Adopting the right energy for each use, saving energy, raising stakeholder awareness to CSR and improving the safety and appeal of jobs in construction were at the heart of some highly productive debates staged in the new Industry Forum and Academy spaces. Talks, round tables and special features gave an opportunity to visitors, and in particular to the 1,400 young people in attendance, to gain insight into the major issues in the sector in the aim of accelerating the green and digital transitions.
International innovation on show
This edition was marked by the noticeable representativity of major international construction companies. The most-represented countries included Belgium the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, the UK, Finland, North African countries and Türkiye. The ReBuild Ukraine talk addressed all the themes essential for the reinforcement of the Ukrainian nation through reconstruction, representing multiple opportunities for French companies, investors and partners.
Reflecting this 2024 show, the INTERMAT Innovation Awards provided further evidence of the powerful innovation dynamic in the design and manufacture of equipment and machinery to support the energy transition, digitalisation and safety, distinguishing 17 winners.
The New Technologies and Energies hub and the Start-up Village offered a showcase to technology and equipment incorporating new, alternative or renewable energy sources (biofuel, electric, hydrogen), virtual and digital engineering, energy storage solutions and autonomous vehicles.
The multiple machinery demo zones both outdoors and on stands, and displaying all electric machines indoors, gave visitors a chance to discover the momentum of the latest developments by manufacturers for better safety, productivity and energy efficiency.
World Of Concrete Europe at the heart of low carbon challenges
The exhibition zone and educational forum focussing on the low carbon transition of the concrete sector zone attracted the attention of nearly one in two visitors. The INTERMAT Innovation Awards rewarded the sector’s efforts to activate all the levers in a push to reduce the carbon impact of materials, processes, technology and equipment.
The ambition of the exhibition’s redesigned model around the major challenges of construction
The 2024 vintage was one of renewal, with a tradeshow redesigned in terms of format and offering, and revolving around four pillars; Innovation, Energies, New equations and Commitments. Over and above the valuable business opportunities, the show reasserted its ambition of bringing together and sharing with the entire ecosystem the wealth of innovation in support of decarbonisation. Exhibitors were able to meet a great many visitors and help them bring their purchasing plans to fruition. The 2024 show succeeded in its goal of collectively providing novel and virtuous responses to professionals, whose pleasure at being able to come together in a convivial climate was clear for all to see throughout the four days of the event!
The next edition will be held in April 2027.