Growth in exports. Unacea calls for a national plan to combat hydrogeological risk.
In the first six months of 2015, the construction machinery market took 4,030 units, with growth of 29% compared to the performance in the same period last year. Sales of earthmoving equipment came to 3,871 units (+25%), joined by 159 road-building machines (+308%).
There was also a positive trend for exports which, between January and April, posted growth of +6%. In particular, exports were up for tower cranes (+30%), road building machinery (+20%), earthmoving machinery (+7%) and drilling machines (+5%). Exports were stable for aggregate preparation machinery (+1%), while concrete machinery continued to fall back (-4%). Imports were also busy, with figures up by 36%. The balance of trade was consequently in the black by over 600 million euros, remaining stable compared to the same period in 2014.
“In the first half year we saw an important result,” said Paolo Venturi, President of Unacea, “since it also signalled that things are also moving on the domestic market at last, despite all the current difficulties. The general economic situation remains uncertain and, even if confidence among sector operators is growing moderately, we must stimulate these early signs of recovery in the most appropriate way. Unacea continues to back the need for a national plan of action to deal with hydrogeological risks, even by resorting to funds made available by the European Investment Bank, as was the case for the cooperation protocol signed by the Government for school buildings, which goes precisely in the direction of a rational use of EU financial tools.”
| CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY (units sold) |
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| Reference period: January - June 2015 | |||
| Construction equipment | 1st semester 2014 | 2nd semester 2015 | % |
| Dozer | 15 | 7 | -53% |
| Crawler excavators | 493 | 707 | 43% |
| Wheel excavators | 35 | 60 | 71% |
| Wheel loaders | 296 | 349 | 18% |
| AWS backhoe loaders | 21 | 24 | 14% |
| Rigid backhoe loaders | 41 | 30 | -27% |
| Articulated backhoe loaders | 13 | 7 | -46% |
| Miniexcavators | 1.618 | 2.190 | 35% |
| Skid steer loaders | 197 | 201 | 2% |
| Compact track loaders | 112 | 123 | 10% |
| Articulated dumpers | 20 | 19 | -5% |
| Telescopic handlers | 234 | 161 | -31% |
| Total EARTHMOVING MACHINES | 3.095 | 3.871 | 25% |
| Compactors | 28 | 104 | 271% |
| Finishers | 11 | 55 | 400% |
| Total ROAD MACHINES | 39 | 159 | 308% |
| Total CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT | 3.134 | 4.030 | 29% |
Data: Italian producers and importers of construction machinery
| CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT FOREIGN TRADE |
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| Construction equipment | IMPORT Jan-Apr 2014 |
EXPORT Jan-Apr 2014 |
IMPORT Jan-Apr 2015 |
EXPORT Jan-Apr 2015 |
IMPORT % | EXPORT % |
| Earthmoving machines and attachments | €89,880,984.00 | €315,265,590.00 | €128,004,176.00 | €338,664,391.00 | 42% | 7% |
| Road machines | €6,420,089.00 | €39,243,752.00 | €11,048,709.00 | €46,950,083.00 | 72% | 20% |
| Concrete equipment | €2,432,400.00 | €106,888,704.00 | €2,362,062.00 | €102,937,072.00 | -3% | -4% |
| Tower cranes | €2,963,145.00 | €48,445,539.00 | €8,919,392.00 | €62,894,469.00 | 201% | 30% |
| Crushing and screening equipment | €26,954,303.00 | €148,838,505.00 | €32,153,526.00 | €150,071,813.00 | 19% | 1% |
| Drilling equipment | €10,366,152.00 | €105,433,247.00 | €6,462,391.00 | €110,708,540.00 | -38% | 5% |
Istat data analysed by Unacea
Source: Unacea - National Union of Construction Equipment & Attachments Companies