BetonTage and fib – facing the future together!

„Prefabrication – the future of building“ is the trend-setting theme under which the organizers of the BetonTage congress invite to the meanwhile 62nd industry gathering held every year in Neu-Ulm, and it is a great pleasure and honor for me to cordially welcome you there on behalf of the International Federation of Structural Concrete (fib).

In the currently challenging times, where the focus of activities is rather on separating things partially motivated by the society and partially by politics, events and associations with an international character are particularly asked for, such as the BetonTage congress and the fib, which deliberately give priority to common things and are able to give answers to the pressing future issues. Discussing with each other on the highest technical level and the motivation to promote concrete construction are the things which the BetonTage congress and the fib have in common.

However, the BeonTage congress and the fib had and have many things in parallel, not only regarding the joint mission described above, but also in terms of contents and topics. Prefabrication, for example, this year‘s main focus of the BetonTage congress, has long since been an integral part of the work at fib. The present fib commission 6 „Prefabrication“ which is concerned with precast concrete construction has already collected information regarding the state-of-the-art of science and technology for the construction with precast concrete elements since 1979, being published in the world-wide successful „Planning and Design Handbook on Precast Building Structures“, for example.

The fact that the BetonTage congress integrates guest countries into the program considerably contributes to learning about different traditions of construction and experiences, hence proverbially encourages to think outside the box. In 2018, the BetonTage organizers were able to win Australia over as guest country. In this regard, the BetonTage congress and the fib are on the same wavelength, too. In October 2018, the Australian fib member group existing since 1959 will be host of the 5th International fib Congress to be held in Melbourne, Australia.

I wish you a lot of inspiring discussions with discovering and deepening future commonalities at the forthcoming congress days in Neu-Ulm.

Yours,