Once again, Usetec confirmed its magnetic attraction for buyers of used machinery and equipment from all over the world. 5,713 visitors from 102 countries travelled to the 2014 edition in Cologne, from 5 to 7 May where the world trade fair for used technology underlined its status as the international meeting place for the second-hand market. The overwhelming majority of the 323 exhibiting companies declared themselves very satisfied.
Usetec’s partners also give an overall positive assessment of the event. “Although the trade fair was smaller in size than in record years, many machines were sold directly from the stands and progress was made on further deals,” says Kurt Radermacher, Managing Director of the Association for Machine Tools + Tooling (FDM) in Bonn. “The visitors to the stands were high quality customers”. Radermacher emphasises that the Usetec brand has long stood for the whole universe of used technology. “We have a virtual presence all year round on the combined websites Usetec.com + MachineStock.com and an event once a year where buyers can physically touch the machinery – the Usetec trade fair” .
For the European Association of Machine Tool Merchants (Eamtm) in Brussels, participation at Usetec is already paying dividends. “35 of our member companies exhibited,” says André Skenazi, emphasising the importance of the event to his members. The General Secretary of the Eamtm reported a number of sales, which have already been concluded. And one member company, France Machines Outils, took several trade fair visitors directly from the stand to its warehouses. The Eamtm itself gained several new members at Usetec 2014 and received further very specific membership enquiries. One of the association’s key objectives at the trade fair was to present its new online database machinedeal.com. The response was excellent. The Federation of the German Export Trade (BDEx) in Berlin has recently noted strong interest in used technology emanating from Central Asia. “Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan,” says Jens Nagel, Managing Director of BDEx, running down a list of the countries. “Demand is particularly strong for construction machinery used in infrastructure projects but also for food processing technology” he observes. Cotton is processed in some of these regions so textile machines are also required. Fortunately, machinery can be transported via the land route to central Asian countries in just a few days. Turkey is another flourishing market for used technology where “Made in Germany” enjoys a special popularity. Food processing technology and packaging machinery as well as metalworking and plastics processing machines are also in demand. “The majority of Turkey’s stock of machinery was built in Germany” says Jens Nagel. “So when it is time to replace existing machines, these companies once again tend to seek out younger German products”
The economic boom in Turkey is continuing although the country still has quite some catching up to do.
The statistics collected for foreign visitors at Usetec showed Iran in second place behind Turkey – followed by Egypt, Russia and Nigeria. Despite the difficult political situation, there were also many buyers at the trade fair from the Ukraine (sixth place). India, Moldova, Belarus and Lithuania occupied places 7 to 10 respectively. The Netherlands was the best represented of the 23 exhibitor nations at the event. Significant numbers of exhibitors also travelled to Cologne from the United Kingdom and Italy.
The world of used technology will gather once again in the coming year: the next Usetec will take place in April 2015.
