Construction sector displays its strength at Paris trade show

A delegation representing more than 120 Chinese makers of construction machinery and spare parts are attending the Intermat construction trade show in Paris from Monday to Saturday.

The huge expo, which is expected to attract 1,500 exhibitors from 40 countries, is held every three years.

The Chinese delegation will promote the nation's brands, helping Intermat's visitors and exhibitors build a better knowledge of the construction machinery industry in China.

The group is supported by the China Chamber of Commerce and the China Construction Machinery Association.

The expo will offer delegates a platform from which they can talk directly to executives from other companies. Chinese companies taking part include XCMG, Sany, Zoomlion, LiuGong and Sinomach.

Wang Guiqing, vice-president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, said: "The brand promotion activities will fur-ther strengthen the Chinese brands' international awareness."

He said total sales of Chinese construction equipment are expected to exceed 550 billion yuan ($87.4 billion) this year, and exports are likely to be worth $20.1 billion.

Figures from the Chamber show exports of Chinese construction machinery equipment continued to rise, from $1.56 billion in 2001 to $14.6 billion in 2017.

In recent years, China has been making an effort to transform its manufacturing sector from low-end to high-end producers.

The branding activity in Paris has also received support from the Chinese government.

Li Na, from the department of foreign trade at the Ministry of Commerce, said the activity is being undertaken to foster a competitive advantage strategy and help the country become a leading power in foreign trade.

She said the fact that China's construction equipment companies are taking part in major international trade exhibitions shows the sector is advancing.

"It also reflects the companies' confidence," she said, adding that attending as a group is likely to be more beneficial for companies than attending individually.

"Face-to-face communication also makes branding more direct and vivid," Li said.

Thanks to the continued large-scale construction of domestic infrastructure, China has developed into the world's largest market for construction machinery.

As of 2017, China has more than 25,000 kilometers of high-speed railways. It has the largest bridge construction in the world, and its nuclear power construction is the fastest in the world.

China has also built the most complete construction machinery production chain, and all parts of that chain can be created in China.

The world's major construction machinery makers have been setting up manufacturing bases and joint ventures in China and many of China's leading construction machinery makers now have offices and production bases around the world.

The output of China-made concrete machinery, cranes, excavators, loaders, and road rollers is the biggest in the world.