The following photos are a brief glimpse of China’s big equipment show held this week, to provide an overview or taste of the event. We will update and add more detail next week.

This year’s event was interesting in that most manufacturers had smaller, more modest displays, while many western manufacturers did not show at all. We did not see Liebherr, JLG, Genie, Alimak, Tadano, Kobelco or Maeda for example. Although Manitowoc was present, but with a booth only – no cranes. However, companies that have blossomed since the last show such as Dingli, LGMG and Sinoboom had more impressive displays.

A couple of other things that jumped out:

Telehandlers: At the last show or two you would have struggled to find a telehandler – yet this time there were at more than a dozen companies with a range of models, including 360s on display – and yet the domestic market for telehandlers is, we understand almost non-existent. Almost as though there was some sort of instruction – ‘Go forth and make telehandlers’.

Spider lifts: Another product that seems to have taken off in China are spider lifts, with several Chinese companies – large and small - now making them. Unlike telehandlers however, there is a growing domestic market for them- especially the larger ones.

The number of serious overseas buyers – especially from Australia, New Zealand, most parts Europe and even North America – some end users, but mostly rental companies and dealers looking for new products to import. Its as though have run Chinese aerial lifts for a few years, and found them to be well made, and having established connections, they have become converts to Chinese built equipment.

As always when it comes to aerial lift companies there were dozens that you have never ever heard of, with broad product lines. A good number of them are badged – it seems.