The seventh edition of Excon, the hugely popular construction equipment exposition, to be held in Bengaluru next month, will provide a platform for construction sector players worldwide to showcase their machine power. Date: November 20-24, 2013 Venue: Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru Despite the overall pall of gloom hanging over the country's economy, not to mention the fall of the rupee, India is on its way to becoming the third largest market in the world for construction equipment, thanks to the large number of infrastructure projects in the pipeline that have fuelled national demand for construction equipment. The view is also bolstered by the statistics offered by the Indian Brand Equity Foundation. While the total number of CE machines is projected to grow to 114,165 by 2016, the demand for such equipment across India too is expected to grow to $6.3 billion by 2014 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.3 per cent. It is against this background that the Excon 2013 to be held in Bengaluru next month is expected to provide an unprecedented marketing platform for the construction equipment industry in South Asia. With a theme revolving around Propelling Sustainable Infrastructure Growth, the expo is to be held from November 20-24, 2013, at Bengaluru. Organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the exhibition in its seventh edition will be supported by the Builders Association of India. While Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers' Association (ICEMA) is the sector partner, the Government of Karnataka is the Partner State at the event. Vipin Sondhi, Chairman, Excon 2013 and Managing Director & CEO, JCB India, is understandably gung ho, Dedicated to the cause, Excon 2013 has been envisioned to be a true trend setter in providing a unique opportunity for construction businesses both large and small sized. He says, It will be a platform to showcase their strengths, analyse their competitors' strengths and weakness, access to advanced technologies and mechanisms, network with both domestic and international companies and scale new heights. With such expectations and also on account of the overwhelming response the event received in 2011, space allocated for the Excon 2013 has been increased to 220,000 as against 148,000 sq m in the previous edition. The popularity and the prospect of a good business opportunity can be gauged by the fact that out of over 900 exhibitors showcasing their products, 625 exhibitors have confirmed their participation in the expo. The plus factor Excon has its own set of intangible benefits. It is a brand building exercise that gives the much needed exposure to a brand. Rajiv Poddar, Executive Director, BKT, is among the many regulars who feel the show over the years has generated great value addition. Excon helps us reach out to a larger audience and enables us to educate them about our product, he says. Pankaj Kumar, Vice President (Equipment Sales), DOZCO India states, By exhibiting products, visitors get to know about different kinds of new and simplified equipment that replaces manpower or existing machines. What is on display? For the benefit of thousands of visitors, at Excon 2013, a wide array of products will be showcased with exhibitors offering live demonstrations. The products mainly include earthmoving equipment; vibratory soil compactors; paving equipment; integrated concrete and bitumen batching and mixing equipment; material handling equipment; hydraulic and pneumatic drilling equipment; slope stabilisation drills; utility equipment; quality control equipment and many more. Hirohito Satoh, Managing Director, Furukawa Rock Drill India, is participating in the expo for the first time, is led to say, The HCR1500ED-II, a hydraulic top hammer drill, will be on display at the exhibition. This is the first unit in India. We would also be putting up hydraulic rock breakers on display which includes our flagship model the F22. Going global With participation expected from seven countries Germany, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, South Korea and China the expo boasts of a significant international presence. Poddar is led to say, Excon over a period of time has grown to become an international expo. Its popularity has attracted the international crowd who have now realised that Indian players are on par with international players. Elaborating on the impact of the entry of international players in the market, Kumar, who will be participating for the fourth time in the event, elaborates about the impact of the entry of international players. Most Indian construction equipment companies have their R&D abroad and that significantly boosts the local Indian market. Excon serves as a gateway for the new and emerging markets around the world. Visitor turnout More than 35,000 business visitors are expected at the event and this includes players from various infra-¡structure or development sectors. Contractors, government officials, public sector companies, leasing and finance companies, machinery and equipment dealers, construction companies, equipment rental companies, project developers, urban infrastructure developers, investors in construction equipment and components and buyers of construction equipment and technologies, etc, will be prominently seen at the event. Conference What: Propelling Sustainable Infrastructure Development-India on the Movea Where: Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Tumkur Road, Bengaluru When: November 21-22, 2013 The two-day conference on will be organised by ICEMA, an affiliate to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The knowledge partner for the conference will be AT Kearney. Key Highlights Networking opportunity 900+ exhibitors (300 from abroad) 100+ product launches 35,000+ business visitors 2,20,000 sq m of exhibition display area International buying delegations Export opportunities Identify new distributors