Intermat 2018 held last month saw 173,300 visitors from 160 countries and 1,400 exhibitors attending the triennial construction equipment exhibition in Paris, said the organiser Comexposium.

Around 30% of the visitors were from outside France at the event, which is one of the premier exhibitions of its kind in the world. According to Comexposium, even though the visitor numbers were slightly lower than the 183,000 recorded at the previous edition, this year’s show was held “amid clear signs of economic recovery and in a distinctively business-conducive climate”. The numbers were also recorded during a week that saw France affected by industrial action from various sections of its workers, the organiser added.

Terming the event as “lively and vibrant…, confirming the growth perspectives of a sector driven by innovation and which has set its sights firmly on the future”, Comexposium added that construction contractors, manufacturers, equipment and solutions suppliers, rental companies and distributors from the Europe, Middle East and Africa zone saw tangible proof of a positive trend.

“At this edition, the introduction of the new business meetings service was a big success, with more than 3,000 business matches recorded, offering proof of the new-found vitality of the market, and of the pertinence of our approach linking up supply and demand,” said Isabelle Alfano, exhibition director.

Intermat 2018 saw several new initiatives, among which was the Intermat Rental Day, which discussed the future of the rental market. In a full day dedicated to the rental sector, it brought together nearly 200 people to discuss the developments and changes in the sector.

Intermat 2018 also saw held alongside it the World of Concrete Europe exhibition, which saw 200 exhibitors. According to Comexposium the combination of an exhibition area, an educational forum and a demonstration zone allowed visitors to explore the offerings of the sector, from materials, products and additives to decorative concrete, coverings and coatings, engineering and services.

The next edition of the event will be held in 2021.