Italian construction machine market growing

A slow but steady improvement in machine sales is being observed in Italy as the market recovers. Over the first three months of 2016, 1,977 construction machines have been sold into the Italian market, according to the country’s construction equipment manufacturing association, the UNACEA. This gain in sales represents an increase of 29% compared to the same period in 2015. The sales were for 1,879 earthmoving machines and 76 road machines.
May 4, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

A slow but steady improvement in machine sales is being observed in Italy as the market recovers. Over the first three months of 2016, 1,977 construction machines have been sold into the Italian market, according to the country’s construction equipment manufacturing association, the 2539 UNACEA. This gain in sales represents an increase of 29% compared to the same period in 2015. The sales were for 1,879 earthmoving machines and 76 road machines.

“The growth recorded in the first quarter confirms the observation made last year, the Italian market seems to have chosen the recovery path,” said Paolo Venturi, president of Unacea. “However, we are facing very low figures if compared with the pre-crisis level. The expectations and the climate of business confidence are advantageous, especially in the residential and infrastructural construction industry. The risk is that expectations will not be fulfilled, cancelling any benefit both for industry and market. This is the reason why we continue to ask the government for a greater intervention policy on the infrastructural development of the country. We continue to ask the local authorities the implementation of clear rules for construction. Finally, we demand a radical change of the outlooks of our industry made by the credit system, that continue to consider in a conservative way companies in the sector of construction industry”.

Less optimistic is that construction machine exports in January 2016 were €135 million, a drop of 11.6% compared to the performance for the same period in 2015.

The export of road equipment increased by 12%, while exports of tower cranes dropped by just 0.2%. However negative trends were seen for sales of other construction machine types. Exports of crushing and screening equipment fell 31.5%, while exports of earthmoving machines and attachments dropped 8.6%, concrete equipment by 7% and drilling equipment by 4%. A positive note for the Italian construction market overall was that imports of machines climbed 2.7%, although the trade balance decreased by 15.5% but maintained a surplus of more than €98 million.

Finance & Funding

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • CISMA: French road construction market expected to rise
    January 17, 2018
    Construction and maintenance of roads in France is expected to grow again this year – by 3% - after several years of decline, according to CISMA. Aggregates production is also expected to be up around 3.5%, as well as civil engineering by 3%. Civil Engineering activity is recovering at last, notes CISMA, especially thanks to work in the Paris area. “Across the country, cities large and small have adopted the construction of modern tramways that has led to improved traffic circulation, more convenient
    Read More
  • Volvo CE Q1 2013 net sales down 33% - but firm maintains profitability
    April 25, 2013
    Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) said sharply lower global demand, especially in the mining sector, during the first three months of 2013 had caused its 33% net sales decline in the quarter to US$1.829 billion (SEK 12,136mn). The Swedish construction equipment manufacturing giant’s operating income was also down in Q1 2013 to $75.38 million (SEK 500mn), compared to $314.97 million (SEK 2,089mn) in the first quarter of 2012, while operating margin was 4.1%, down from 11.6% in Q1 2012. Volvo CE said it
    Read More
  • Volvo CE sees strong third quarter results
    October 20, 2017
    Volvo CE is bullish and claims a strong financial performance in its third quarter sales figures. The company claims it has made market share gains in key segments while its financial results have also benefited from good cost control and growing demand in most areas. Volvo CE says it has had an especially strong third quarter for 2017 with sales up 34% to US$1.847 billion (SEK15.1 billion) compared with $1.41 billion (SEK11.54 billion) for the same period in 2016. Meanwhile order intake for the third quart
    Read More
  • AEM sets agenda
    April 24, 2012
    Construction machinery and equipment sales worldwide are predicted to be up by 14.7 % in 2011, according to the annual business outlook survey by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).
    Read More

Highlighted Content