Skip to main content

Construction equuipment market improves

The German manufacturers association, VDMA, has compiled data suggesting that following the slump in construction equipment sales in 2009, the market will recover in 2010. The VDMA reports that in 2009 German construction equipment sales fell in by some 43% to €9.5 billion. Dr Christof Kemmann, VDMA chairman said at a recent board meeting of the organisation, “...2009 has been the most difficult year ever for our industry.”
May 14, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The German manufacturers association, 1331 VDMA, has compiled data suggesting that following the slump in construction equipment sales in 2009, the market will recover in 2010.

The VDMA reports that in 2009 German construction equipment sales fell in by some 43% to €9.5 billion.

Dr Christof Kemmann, VDMA chairman said at a recent board meeting of the organisation, “...2009 has been the most difficult year ever for our industry.”

The building sector was particularly hard hit, with sales of equipment dropping 51% to €5.3 billion compared to the previous year. For construction equipment sales fell by 18% to €4.2 billion. For both sectors, incoming orders dropped significantly, 46% for construction equipment and 58% for building material machinery.

The markets for earthmoving and road construction machinery stabilised by the end of the year however. Exports were badly affected with demand from Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Spain for example all falling considerably. Exports across the industry fell by 46% compared to the previous year, although domestic sales only fell by 33%.

Because of this slump in sales outside Germany the export ratio shifted and now is 66% for construction equipment. However the VDMA forecasts that market performance in 2010 will improve. Manufacturers of construction machinery are expecting a slight increase in turnover of some 5%. “Even a slight growth will not prevent the industry from reaching a level that will be far below those of previous years”, commented Kemmann.

In 2010, the construction equipment industry hopes the market in Europe and growth in the Far East, especially China and India, will boost demand. There are also signs that the economies in South America and North Africa will prove encouraing.

“We are convinced that 688 Bauma will help also to boost the change in mood,” Kemmann said.
The exhibition, the world’s biggest show of construction equipment, takes place in Munich, Germany, from 19-25 April.

"We are convinced that Bauma will help also to boost the change in mood"

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • VDMA reports on construction machine business
    August 2, 2016
    The German construction equipment manufacturing association reports wide variations in business activity across different markets. Overall, the VDMA reports that for construction equipment, the 2016 growth forecast remains at over 3%. According to the VDMA, German construction equipment manufacturers remain cautiously optimistic at the middle of the year. “After a great bauma trade fair in April we are again in the midst of our daily business – which holds a number of challenges and uncertainties,” said
  • Plans in hand for bauma 2016 exhibition, with positive market outlook
    May 18, 2015
    The organisers of the bauma exhibition in Germany predict a positive future for the construction market in 2016. Large increases are expected in the North American market while there are also pPositive trends in the Near and Middle East. Last year North America and Europe were the most dynamic construction machinery markets in the world according to data from the bauma organisers. Some market experts believe that this trend could continue in 2015. This is one of the reasons why the market in construction
  • VDMA’s optimistic 2014 outlook
    February 21, 2014
    The VDMA has given an optimistic 2014 performance forecast for the German construction equipment and building material machinery industry. Compared to the previous year, industry turnover declined slightly in 2013 by 6% to €11.7 billion. But incoming orders for construction equipment are said by the VDMA to have risen by 7% in 2013, compared to 2012. The VDMA predicts a 5% turnover rise in 2014, compared to the previous 12 months. “We can look back on a satisfactory business year overall; given all the
  • German construction equipment industry’s sales rise 8 per cent
    February 18, 2015
    German manufacturers of construction equipment reported an 8% rise in sales, amounting to €8.4 billion. The level was higher than expected and equal to sales in 2006, according to the Construction Equipment and Building Material Machinery Association (VDMA). However, the VDMA, part of the German Engineering Federation, suggested that company profits may not have risen along with sales and tough times remain ahead. “Turnover is one thing, profit is another,” Joachim Strobel, deputy chairman of VDMA, said.