At trade show preview, Intermat awards Wacker Neuson, Liebherr and other machines for productivity, worker safety

Intermat Exhibition Director Maryvonne Lanoe (left) addresses exhibitors and journalists prior to the announcement of the Innovation Award winners.Intermat Exhibition Director Maryvonne Lanoe (left) addresses exhibitors and journalists prior to the announcement of the Innovation Award winners.

Journalists attending an Intermat pre-show event got a sneak peek at many of the products to be featured at the show, to be held April 20-25, in Paris, France. Intermat is one of a trio of international construction equipment shows held on a rotating basis, along with Las Vegas-based ConExpo-Con/Agg and Munich, Germany-based Bauma. The show is expected to draw

1,300 exhibitors from around the world and approximately 200,000 attendees.

Wacker Neuson Group’s 803 mini excavator can be used in diesel or electric mode for indoor use.Wacker Neuson Group’s 803 mini excavator can be used in diesel or electric mode for indoor use.

A highlight of the event was the introduction of the Innovation Award winners, which highlight some of the most interesting new products to be on display during Intermat. A total of 78 products were submitted for the competition, with 29 semi-finalists and a dozen award winners.

Wacker Neuson Group’s dual-powered 803 mini excavator took the Construction Equipment gold award. In outdoor applications, the excavator can be used in conventional diesel mode, but its ability to be operated electrically and emissions-free opens its use to indoor applications as well. Other winners in the Construction Equipment category include Alphi’s TopDalle Eco, a new line of formwork products for reinforced concrete slabs, and Fayat/Marini-Ermont’s RF 160 Neo generation of portable recycling asphalt plants.

In the Equipment and Components category, Liebherr France SAS took the gold award for its crane lift elevator, which is integrated in the tower of larger systems and installed externally on smaller tower cranes. It is designed to transport two people or a payload of 440 pounds. Mecalac was recognized with a silver for its quick coupler. The reversible coupler can be handled from two directions and a detector indicates when the locking is complete. It also requires that an accessory be on the ground before it can be released to prevent accidents due to unintentional detachments of accessories.

Liebherr’s LiUP crane driver elevator can be retrofitted to existing systems as well as incorporated into new ones.Liebherr’s LiUP crane driver elevator can be retrofitted to existing systems as well as incorporated into new ones.

Two companies, Merlo and Liebherr France SAS, won awards in the Engineering and Systems category. Merlo won the gold award for its M TSS transversal stability system. Designed to prevent overturns of telescopic booms, it features an electronic terminal that reads data from on-board sensors, displays information to the operator, and provides a warning of dangerous situations — going so far as to block movements which might increase danger. Liebherr won the silver award for LDC or Liebherr Demolition Control. The system provides extended reach on demolition excavators while communicating precise, real-time position of the demolition attachment to the operator for enhanced stability of the machine.

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In the Digital Applications segment, Atlog won the gold award for Land2map. Through the use of a tablet computer — connected by Bluetooth to GPS surveying equipment, total stations, and more — it collates topographical survey data,

boundary marking, verification, utility detection, and the location of road or civil engineering projects on a single interface. Autom’Elec took the silver award for its TAMIsoft granulometry measurement system. The system allows for contact-free measurement of aggregate sizing at various points throughout the production chain. It uses optical triangulation from a laser module, a video camera, and software to statistically model material size, distribution, and movement.

Three additional awards were given during the pre-show event. MS won the Environment Award for its water treatment plant, which reduces chromium VI and total chromium from concrete batching plant wastewater. Tekla received the World of Concrete Europe Award for its Structures Construction Modeling software, which allows contractors to design, estimate, manage, and plant concrete pours. Finally, Brigend Extrusion Ltd garnered a Judges’ Special Award for its K-Form system of system of screed rails used for concrete floor slab shuttering.