Skip to main content

Italian manufacturer body Unacea reveals machine exports

The Italian construction equipment manufacturer body Unacea has revealed comprehensive information on machine sales and exports. The data shows that construction machine sales in Italy grew 12% in the first nine months of 2014. However exports fell 7% and Unacea believes that the export performance of Italian manufacturers on the world market will have shrunk by the end of the year compared with the figures for 2013. Over the first nine months of 2014, construction equipment sold in the Italian market sto
October 31, 2014 Read time: 4 mins
The Italian construction equipment manufacturer body 2539 Unacea has revealed comprehensive information on machine sales and exports. The data shows that construction machine sales in Italy grew 12% in the first nine months of 2014. However exports fell 7% and Unacea believes that the export performance of Italian manufacturers on the world market will have shrunk by the end of the year compared with the figures for 2013.

Over the first nine months of 2014, construction equipment sold in the Italian market stood at 4,479 units, an increase of 12% compared to the same period of 2013. Analysing the sales results, figures consists of 4,403 earthmoving machines (+11%) and 76 road machines (+17%). "Looking at the data of these first nine months – said Paolo Venturi, president of Unacea – we have to avoid too optimistic tones. It is true that from one side we have probably reached the lowest point of cycle in 2013, but we are still experiencing a loss of more than 80% compared with level of 2007. Moreover, the ratio between the results of the fourth and third quarter shows a growth of only 4%, with an evident decline relative to what we have seen at the beginning of the year.” Considering the continuous disasters related to the hydrogeological instability, Unacea calls for an urgent national plan of safety works and for the introduction of incentives in the public tenders for companies who use latest generation equipment (safer and
environmentally friendly) and technologies for the production of quality and durable concrete (as the mixer in batching plants).

In the first seven months of the year, according with the data of the Italian institute for statistics processed by Unacea, exports of Italian construction equipment reached €1,397 million, with a drop of 7% compared with the previous year. The most significant reduction has affected the drilling machines (-37%); a drop in the export of concrete equipment (-7%) and road machines (-5%). A small drop for earth moving machines (-1%) was recorded. There has been growth in the export of tower cranes (+10%) and crushing and screening equipment (+8%). Imports have grown 22%, reaching a value of more than €280 million. The trade balance is still positive of more than €1,113 million, even recording a decrease of 12% compared with the same period of last year.

According to David Phillips, director of 2444 Off-Highway Research, the world market for construction equipment was worth €74.3 billion in 2013, and will decrease slightly to €72.7 billion (-2%) at the end of 2014. But it should grow up again in 2015 to reach €76.6 billion. At present, the major market in the world is North America, with €20.5 billion in 2013, €22.9 billion at the end of the year (+12%) and €24.5 billion in 2015 (+7%). China, which was on the top for world sales in 2011, is still experiencing difficulties: in 2013 it has accounted for €17.4 billion and its performance should worst at the end of the year with €15 billion in purchases (-14%), overcoming the obstacles only in 2015 with €15.8 billion (+5%). The Indian market is stable with € 1.6 billion, waiting for the boost in confidence following the country’s election, will affect also the construction industry. In Japan, in 2013 machinery sold has reached €4.7 billion in 2013; it should decrease to €4 billion at the end of the year (-15%), remaining stable in 2015. Meanwhile, Europe accounted for sales of €9.5 billion in 2013, while 2014 it is going to end with a final balance of €10.3 billion (+8%) and 2015 with €11.1 billion (+8%).

During the recent 3399 Cece Congress, which has involved about 200 delegates among senior managers of European companies and national trade associations, discussions covered the new proposal for a revision of the emissions directive (97/68/EC). The Ttip agenda could also boost the harmonisation of technical and environmental legislation between 3287 EU and US. At present, according with Cece’s evaluation, a machine for the US market costs 17% more than the same machine for Europe. Market surveillance is still a critical point for the European industry. While the 70% of the entire investment in research and development is addressed to maintain compliance with the European directives on safety and environment, a Cece’s study shows that 1/3 of the companies suffers losses because customers prefer to buy non-compliant machines, illegally imported in the European market. In February 2013, after repeated claims, the 2465 European Commission had reached a proposal to improve the current legislation that has been submitted to the EU Council. But this last proposal has not so far progressed further.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Brexit: CEA says UK government must boost business confidence now
    October 28, 2016
    The UK government must understand that pulling out of the European Union will have consequences for the manufacturing sector and should be ready to help. “A lot of EU regulation has been tough but at least we know what is,” said Rob Oliver, chief executive of the UK’s Construction Equipment Association. Oliver, speaking at last week’s one-day conference in London, warned the government against introducing tougher regulations than the EU has done.
  • China looks to the future with major highway plans
    February 15, 2012
    China is still moving ahead with plans that will give it the world's biggest highway system. Patrick Smith reports. As China's economy grows even more, keeping the country on the move has become a priority for the government. While the country has made great strides over the past decade in improving its infrastructure, the number of vehicles has also increased rapidly, and in some instances restrictions have been placed on them.
  • New emissions proposals - lean, clean green construction machines – but at what cost?
    October 3, 2014
    The European Commission has published proposals setting strict limits on exhaust emissions for off-highway machinery. This proposal has major implications for the construction machinery sector and would make the EU exhaust emissions limits the strictest in the world. There has been a call for swift reading of the regulation in Parliament and Council. This long-anticipated proposal for a revision of the directive 97/68/EC, covers exhaust emissions reduction for engines installed in non-road mobile machinery.
  • CECE 2018 conference Rome: the sector powers up for digitisation
    March 20, 2019
    Getting the human-machine interface for equipment automation right is a lot trickier than expected. David Arminas reports from the CECE conference in Rome For many contractors, digitisation is key for improving on-site operational efficiency. But it may be time to take stock of progress and examine what does and doesn’t work. That is not to say that the anchors should be thrown out to halt development. Far from it. In the past eight months, the CECE - Committee for European Construction Equipment – led