RecyclingAKTIV & TiefbauLIVE: Three trade fair days filled to the brim with live demonstrations of the latest machine and plant technology

Careful handling of building materials and closing material cycles in the recycling sector, alternative drives for machinery and equipment, the digitalisation of construction processes and the recruitment of skilled workers are defining topics and trends in the construction and recycling industry. The RecyclingAKTIV & TiefbauLIVE (RATL for short) trade fair from 27 to 29 April 2023 at Messe Karlsruhe offers decision-makers from the sectors concerned an up-to-date, complete and lively overview of these bundles of topics. On more than 95,000 square metres of exhibition space, 95 % of which is outdoors, the more than 260 exhibitors will be showing their machine technology live in action for the most part. A wealth of information is also provided by the supporting programme of the live demonstration fair with a total of five action areas and sample construction sites, free themed tours, a job exchange and a raw materials discussion forum. "The supporting programme is mainly supported by the exhibitors," says project manager Olivia Hogenmüller. "In addition to their great commitment to the five demo formats, they take advantage of the unique demonstration conditions of the Karlsruhe fairgrounds and demonstrate their machine technology with a wide variety of material flows and in versatile areas of application on more than two-thirds of the stand areas in the open-air site. No stone is left unturned!

Five demo formats bring machine technology to the stage in an action-packed way

One of a total of five demo formats can be considered a special highlight in the RATL supporting programme: the Attachment Arena. Here, in three grippingly staged and competently presented machine shows every day, visitors will experience how versatile implement carriers with changing attachments can be used in demolition, recycling and soil preparation and thus ensure more productivity on the construction site. In addition to classic and well-known attachments such as demolition hammers, pulverisers, separators and cultivation cutters, a dredger-mounted pile driver and a light materials vacuum cleaner will also be demonstrated here for the first time in realistic demolition and construction processes. The impressive demonstration sequences will shed light on the product specifics. Technical advisors from the 14 participating exhibitors will then explain the applications and added value of the equipment in more detail at their own stands and will be available for further information after the demonstration.

Together with the Verband der Baubranche, Umwelt- und Maschinentechnik e.V. (VDBUM), the trade fair's partner association, a large-scale civil engineering and road construction demonstration site will be set up in the TiefbauLIVE exhibition area. This demo format will focus on how modern vehicles and machines, systems and processes interact in infrastructure construction within the framework of two live shows per day of the fair. Modern road construction processes will be demonstrated, from earth excavation to the handling and transport of excavated material, as well as 3D-controlled formation creation and asphalt paving to compaction with compaction control. Visitors will be able to compare machines and systems directly and find the technical solutions for their individual requirements in everyday operations.

Machines and equipment operate as quietly as a whisper and completely free of exhaust fumes at the electric mobility showcase for compact and landscaping construction. It was initiated by the VDBUM and designed jointly with the Verband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau Baden-Württemberg e.V. (GaLaBau BW). With this demo format, the RATL targets classic civil engineering as well as gardening and landscaping companies and their special requirements when handling machines in urban areas or green spaces. Electric construction machines and vehicles meet the demands for less physical strain as well as stricter noise and exhaust specifications for municipal construction measures. Visitors can experience four alternating shows every day. Two construction processes involving earthmoving, transport, soil preparation and processing, and compaction will be shown. They are illustrated by 15 compact, quiet and yet powerful construction machines, construction vehicles and recycling plants - demonstrated by trainees from regional landscaping companies, who thus bring their modern professions to life and promote young talent. The VDBUM-initiated Regional Competition South also shows what the professions in the construction industry, landscaping and mechanical engineering have to offer: The "VDBUM Azubi Cup - German Championships 2023/2024" offers a platform for committed trainees in the practical environment of the model construction site. They compete against each other in theory and practice over the entire duration of the trade fair.

A huge throughput and maximum precision in the crushing, sorting and screening of renewable raw materials are demonstrated by the machines and systems in the Wood & Biomass action area, which covers around 2,500 square metres. In a realistic working environment, mobile solutions for pre-sorting wood, removing residual materials and producing wood-based recycling materials are in action. On all three days of the fair, the machines will be on show in two shows (Show A and Show B), one in the morning and one in the afternoon. From shredders, trommel screens and handling excavators to dust-binding systems: the entire range of products for processing wood and biomass from the 17 participating exhibiting companies can be experienced by visiting both shows. In addition to the spectacular machine demonstrations, visitors can consult with product specialists directly on the equipment and exchange information.

During the three days of the fair, the Scrap & Metal action area will be transformed into a mobile scrap and recycling yard. Here the specific infrastructure and operational processes of a scrap and metal yard will be staged. Representatives of the participating manufacturers will explain all the typical work steps in dialogue with the presenter, including crushing and sorting, storage and handling with scrap shears, excavator magnets and grabs, as well as the cleaning and recycling of metals. Visitors can see the machines on display in real-life operation and compare the interaction of carrier and attachment. The 20-minute live demonstrations will be shown several times on each of the three days of the fair.

Visitor tours focus on product highlights and innovations

Hardly anything could be more informative for trade visitors than the six thematic visitor tours, each lasting around two hours. The tours focus on current topics in the civil engineering, demolition and recycling industries and present solutions to current challenges. The tours will be moderated by representatives of the industry associations BDSV, bvse, DA, VDBUM, VDMA-Recyclingtechnik and the Verband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau Baden-Württemberg. "We are pleased with the good cooperation with the very committed trade fair advisory board, which shaped the content of the tours," says Beate Frères, Division Manager Own Exhibitions at Messe Karlsruhe. In groups of a maximum of 30 participants, eight to ten exhibitor stations will be visited and product highlights, innovative solutions and services on the respective topics will be shown. During these tours, visitors can quickly and easily get to know their direct contact persons at the respective trade fair stands, watch product demonstrations thematically tailored to their particular needs and take away valuable impulses for their own business. In conjunction with a fair ticket, participation in the fair tours is free of charge, but registration is required via the online ticket shop or, for those who decide at short notice, on site at the fair management in the outdoor area.

The topics and moderating associations of this year's tours are:

- Technologies and solutions in recycling technology (VDMA Recycling Technology).

- Mobile processing technology in steel recycling (BDSV)

- Gardening and landscaping (Verband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau Baden-Württemberg)

- Demolition and processing technology (VDBUM)

- Rental equipment in the construction process (VDBUM)

- Standardised interfaces of attachment and carrier vehicle (VDBUM)

Find your dream job at the Baustelle:Zukunft job fair

During RATL, the Baustelle:Zukunft job fair will be presented in a realistic environment that only the live character of the demo fair can offer. Visitors can experience individual job profiles, such as that of a construction equipment operator, foreman or site manager, and sound out their own talents and future prospects. Embedded in the central gastronomic contact point for visitors in the open-air site and located directly at the main entrance, six renowned construction, demolition and recycling companies present their employer strengths and vacant job offers, which can be examined on a "job wall" as a notice board, among other things. The informal and relaxed atmosphere at RATL makes it easier to start conversations with the represented companies.

Parallel to the fair: Trade congress, lecture and seminar programme

Parallel to the RATL demo fair, the SBM Forum, a trade congress for sustainable and ecological materials, will take place on 28 April 2023. This year's SBM edition focuses on the handling of secondary building materials. In practice-oriented lectures, the speakers address recycling companies and construction firms. Their topics include sorting by type, new findings on recycled concrete, the classification of secondary building materials and plant-based fibres for regional value chains. Attendance at the SBM Forum is free of charge for visitors to RATL, but registration via the online ticket shop is requested.

Also parallel to RATL, the LOGEX Academy will offer entertaining and exciting lectures on 27 and 28 April on the conference floor of Messe Karlsruhe and in the hall area of RATL. Interested visitors can expect interesting topics from the areas of IT, digitalisation, fire protection, law and the future of alternative drives. LOGEX is a nationwide network of medium-sized waste management companies. All lectures are free of charge.