27.02.2004

Visitors turn out in force in Atlanta

After two successive shows with poor attendance and lackluster interest levels, this years ARA convention and rental show looks set to put the ARA firmly back on the map.

Throughout the 1990’s the ARA was the major show for new product launches from the aerial lift industry. With all of the major manufacturers choosing this show above all others to show off their new designs and ideas. Since 2000 the recession in the North American and global lift market, not to mention the consolidation of the US rental industry, saw the show slip from its pedestal.

While pre-registrations for this year’s event were up on last year, the actual attendance so far has surprised almost everyone. In addition the upbeat mood of the visitors has been encouraging and orders have been and are being placed. The key test will be tomorrow (Saturday) when the new weekend format will be truly tested. The number of overseas visitors remained low, probably due to the proximity to Bauma and Atlantas lack of attraction as a winter destination, However there is a relatively strong turn out from the Irish rental industry along with a few British enthusiasts.

Walking around the show the most commonly raised concern on manufacturers stands was “Steel Shortages”! It seems that with the pick up in aerial lift purchases now in its second quarter, there is a real possibility that the availability of Steel in North America will not only curb any production increases but also put pressure on Aerial lift prices to rise.

We have been predicting that the market pick up would very quickly turn a buyers market into a sellers market due to the large reductions in production capacity seen over the past three or four years. But this may now be compounded by the rising cost of steel up 30 percent according to one manufacturer. If nothing else it will be a strong justification to start firming up the prices in spite of a weak dollar.

Some New products

Totally new products on display were thin on the ground, but Genie showed its New TX50 trailer lift with highly unusual tubular chasis. JLG displayed its 1250AJP for the first time, Snorkel had its 42 ft straight boom with new overcentre jib and SkyJack had several new compact Rough Terrain scissor lifts along with the new Auto leveling outriggers.
The most talked about aerial products on show were on the "new" MEC stand, where a 30ft scissor lift was fitted with special wheels that allow sideways totally omni directional movement of the machine.

More on the New products early next week.
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