Smopyc Becomes a Key EventThe 13th edition of Smopyc, the international show of public works, construction and mining machinery, was held in Saragossa, Spain from 1st to 5th March, 2005. The event was marked by intense business activity and the high number of visitors. The show has satisfactorily met its three challenges of becoming a triennial event, with exhibit areas divided business sector by business sector and high international presence. The show closed its doors on a new attendance record, with over 85,000 visitors. More than one hundred countries have participated, thus making this year's event the most international and biggest of all ever held until now. There was a total of 1,828 exhibitors (+15.5%) from 41 countries, of which 742 Spanish and 1,086 foreigners. The total exhibiting surface was 114,400 sq m (+24%) in 10 halls and outer areas.Indeed, Smopyc 2005 underlined the boom in the industry and it is a bet on the future. It is today one of the not-to-be-missed worldwide events. Organised every two years so far, Smopyc will now be held every three years in line with the most important European fairs of the sector (Bauma in Munich and Intermat in Paris and Samoter in Verona). The next edition in 2008 will introduce important changes to access to the show, with the opening of a new high speed train station close to the exhibition area and the biggest hall near this station, with a capacity of 25,000 square metres. Construction has been a key sector in the sustained growth of the Spanish economy. It is the most lively sector, with growth rates higher than GDP during the last years. Spain has been the first European country for the number of machines sold thanks to the construction boom and the infrastructure strategic plan. The figures for cement production show that between August 2003 and August 2004, 47.3 million tons were consumed in the country (a 4.5% year-on-year increase). Construction will remain the engine of economic growth in 2005 (+3,5%) and 2006. In addition, since September 2004, the public works sector has received a new impetus, with the relaunch of projects that had been stopped and the execution of new ones, mainly in road infrastructure, such as those included in the Special Investment Programme for Roads set up by the Ministry of public works, approved by the government in October 2004, and the likely launch of the projects included both in the ministry's 2005 budget and the new 2005-2020 Strategic Plan for Infrastructure and Transport (PEIT).Noticeable exhibitors included Atlas Copco SAE, visit www.atlascopco.es, Degussa Construction Chemicals España, visit www.degussa-cc.es, Leica Geosystems, www.leica-geosystems.com, Putzmeister Iberica, www.putzmeister.es and Sandvik Española, www.sandviktamrock.com Other important exhibitors included: Barloworld Finanzauto, www.barloworld.finanzauto.es, the Cat dealer for Spain Dalper Maquinaria y Accesorios, www.dalpersl.com, dealers in Spain of Black Diamond Cutters, Belloli, JP Jensen Ventilation and Weldgrip Emil Import, www.emilimport.com, dealer of American Augers and Webster Schaeff Immsa, www.immsa.net, dealers of Continental Conveyor, Dosco and Mine Radio Systems Mecanizacion y Mineria, www.mymineria.com, dealers of Alimak, Casagrande, GIA, Haeny, Orsta Staalindustri (CT-Bolt) and Valente Sinducor, dealer of Palmieri Rocktools and Voest-Alpine Bergtechnik Sumper, dealer of Geohydraulik Data, Robodrill and TunnelTec Sutevar, www.sutevar.com, dealer of Alwag and EGT. Visit www.smopyc.com 11/05. Click to enlarge