Skip to main content

Strong demand for German construction machines

Strong demand for construction machines is being reported by the German equipment manufacturing association, the VDMA. Its report says that following a good start to 2017, the upward trend has continued for the construction and building equipment industry.
July 13, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Strong demand for construction machines is being reported by the German equipment manufacturing association, the VDMA. Its report says that following a good start to 2017, the upward trend has continued for the construction and building equipment industry. The VDMA analysis says that the sector expects to increase its total turnover by 5% by the end of the year to around €14.6 billion.  

Business levels have exceed predictions, especially for construction equipment manufacturers, both in Germany and on the international markets. This is true for all sub-sectors, namely earthmoving, civil engineering, tunneling, building and road construction machines. In addition to the good business development in Europe during the past years, demand is now also picking up in world regions that have performed weakly in recent times, such as China or Russia. While the strong market has been helpful to revenue for manufacturers, some firms are now seeing bottlenecks developing in supply chains.

“The unexpected significant good business development is good for us,” said Johann Sailer, chairman of the 1188 Construction Equipment and Building Material Machinery Association of 1331 VDMA (the German Engineering Federation). However, he cautioned against excess optimism. In view of the general political and economic climate, the situation could take a turn at any time. “The growth forecast of plus 5% is not cast in stone.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US market continues to climb
    April 11, 2013
    A comment often heard at the recent World of Asphalt/World of Aggregates event in San Antonio, Texas was how the US construction market is recovering. The catchphrase for the global construction industry in 2013 seems to be ‘cautious optimism’. The growth rate may be modest and business activity is certainly a long way from the peaks of 2007 and 2008, but the improving conditions can only be good news for the construction sector. In Europe the situation is less clear. The Nordic nations are all in a fairly
  • Business confidence in construction
    June 29, 2018
    Business confidence is strong in the global construction equipment market at present. Manufacturers of machines around the world, as well as component suppliers, are all reporting strong financial performance, with healthy sales and order books. Many manufacturers including Deutz, Komatsu, Manitou, Volvo CE and Wacker Neuson have announced robust financial results recently, with many seeing record levels of sales and turnover. Firms in China, Europe, Japan, South Korea and the US all report good levels of
  • China banks on the Belt and Road Initiative
    October 8, 2019
    Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, is capitalising on its well-established equipment and componentry manufacturing base as China’s global Belt and Road Initiative gathers momentum.
  • A bridge of hope?
    July 18, 2012
    As Russia prepares for a major Asia Pacific conference in nearly four years' time, the economic climate is felt in other countries in the region. Patrick Smith reports AUS$1 billion-plus suspension bridge is to be built to link the city of Vladivostok in the far east of Russia and Russky Island. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has signed an instruction for construction of the 3,150m long bridge, which is intended to provide access to the 24th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, to be held o