The “rental” segment consolidates its role in the building industry
Machinery and equipment: the hire sector is growing in Italy, not the least thanks to the “Expo effect”. Estimates for the end of 2015 suggest a slight upturn which should consolidate the 2014 result (+0.7%). The forecast came from Marco Prosperi, Director of Assodimi-Assonolo, the association of industrial machinery distributors, interviewed by the SaMoTer Press Office, the triennial international event dedicated to the construction industry scheduled at Veronafiere 22-25 February 2017.
The hire sector in the building industry in Italy is worth over 1.3 billion euros: the main items concern equipment such as scaffolding and cranes (360 million euros), platforms (280 million euros), earth moving machinery (260 million euros), prefabricated modules (100 million euros) and power generator sets (110 million euros).
“Compared to the 80% collapse in sales during the worst years of the crisis,” said Prosperi, “the rental field suffered much less, with downturns in the 10-15% range. 2015 saw a resumption, driven in particular by companies in Northern Italy which benefitted from works related to Expo Milan. But there are also positive signs from Central and Southern Italy.”
Italy has more than 1,500 companies in the machinery and equipment hire sector, with the top 50 capable of generating 40% of total turnover. This is a recent market in Italy, that began to emerge about twenty years ago, whereas in countries such as the United Kingdom it has been active for over 60 years. Margins for growth are therefore still large: rented equipment and machinery in Italy only represent 1% of total industry turnover, compared to 1.8% in France and 2% in the United Kingdom.
“The hire sector provides a genuine service to construction companies,” the Director of Assodimi went on, “and can assure the ideal type of machinery at a fixed price and the most advanced technology available. Nor should we overlook consulting activities ranging from managing bureaucracy through to traffic studies during current work and construction sites.”
Assodimi itself will be on hand at Veronafiere for the 30th edition of SaMoTer with the “Rental Area”: the exhibition space for hire-rental professionals.