As the world’s largest equipment manufacturers convened in Munich for the Bauma equipment show April 4-14, the overriding question was what has changed in the industry since the last show three years ago.

The crowds swelled through the gates of World of Concrete in Las Vegas, and equipment manufacturers were eager to sell through their stock as a strong construction market hits its stride.

Surpassing even the most optimistic expectations of industry observers, sales of construction equipment are on pace to record double-digit growth for 2018, providing welcome momentum in the face of looming uncertainties about the market’s long-term prospects.

When Caterpillar began its current investment in 3D-printing components for heavy equipment earlier this decade, the company’s engineers and chemists tried to manage their expectations.