Skip to main content

Italian construction equipment sales inch upwards, Unacea reports

In the first quarter of 2015, sales of construction equipment in the Italian market reached 1,605 units, a rise of 19% year on year. Sales of earthmoving machines were up 16% to 1,556 units and road machine sales jumped nearly 400% to 49 units. Paolo Venturi, president of Unacea, the Italian Construction Equipment Association, said the first quarter figures look promising and continue an upward trend that started last year. But there is still a long way to go because there has been an 80% loss of sales in
April 30, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Italian manufacturers get pumped over sales trend
In the first quarter of 2015, sales of construction equipment in the Italian market reached 1,605 units, a rise of 19% year on year.

Sales of earthmoving machines were up 16% to 1,556 units and road machine sales jumped nearly 400% to 49 units.

Paolo Venturi, president of 2539 Unacea, the Italian Construction Equipment Association, said the first quarter figures look promising and continue an upward trend that started last year. But there is still a long way to go because there has been an 80% loss of sales in the past seven years.

Peak sales were in 2008, topping €5.216 billion. The Italian industry of construction equipment and attachments directly employs about 6,000 people, with related industries employing another 30,000.

He said Unacea will continue to call for greater action, especially by the government, to stimulate sales. The entire sector is waiting for the government’s three-years public works plan to be announced by the minister of infrastructure and transport Graziano Delrio.

In 2014, according to the data of the Italian institute of Statistics (Istat) processed by Unacea, export sales of construction equipment reported totaled €2,460 million, falling by 1% compared to 2013. The most significant decline was for drilling equipment, down 33%. But there were drops also for concrete equipment (-6%), road machineries (-4%) and earthmoving machines (-1%).

But exports were up for crushing and screening equipment (+19%) and tower cranes (+17%).

The value of imports rose by 25% year over year to €545 million.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • CECE report highlights European construction growth
    March 13, 2019
    Sales of construction machines continue to be strong across Europe, due to steady growth in construction starts. This has been highlighted in the CECE Annual Economic Report 2019. The report shows that 2018 was the strongest year for the European construction equipment market since the economic crisis in 2008/09. Sales of construction machines in the European market grew by 11% for 2018, and the absolute market level is now 10% below the 2007 peak. There was a considerably growing momentum during 2018: a
  • UK equipment sales up 70% in first half year
    August 9, 2021
    Supply chain shortages and price rises for many products and materials remain an issue.
  • China collapse hits global construction equipment sales
    March 31, 2023
    Global construction equipment sales fell 7% last year from the record high established in 2021.
  • Volvo CE is increasing margins despite weak sales
    July 24, 2013
    Volvo CE reports that its operating margin has recovered in the second quarter of 2013, although the firm has been hit by weaker sales, especially in the mining industry. This situation reflects the continued slowdown in the size of the total market for construction equipment and the company’s sales were down 19% during the period. However the firm said that behind the headline figures there were underlying positives, not least a good order intake and improving trends in China, Europe and the Middle East, a