As of September, Italian construction machinery exports reached 2 billion 187 million euros. The first nine months of 2018 posted an increase of 6.2% in value compared to the same period in 2017. The latest surveys made available by the SaMoTer – Prometeia Observatory based on the information input from Unacea confirm this scenario.
Italian-built earthmoving machinery and equipment took the largest share of orders from abroad, worth more than 1 billion euros (+13%). Then came machinery for preparing aggregates (382 million euros / +0.9%), drilling (276 million euros / -0.9%) and concrete (211 million euros / -3%). Exports of tower cranes also performed well (196 million euros / +10.7%), while road-building machinery came to 93 million euros, down by 3.6%.
As regards destination markets, Western Europe confirmed its status as the reference area once again in the third quarter of the year (915 million euros, +6.9%); North America took second place (287 million euros, +19.6%) and Central-Eastern Europe plus Turkey ranked third (275.8 million euros, +14%). Exports increased to the Middle East (108 million euros, +4.4%) and to India (42 million euros, +6.8%). Downturns were posted by Central and South America (99.7 million euros, -17.75%), North African countries (75 million euros, -12.9%), Russia (56 million euros, -0.2%) and China (46 million euros, -1.4%).
In relation to the Italian market, imports of construction and site machinery and equipment between January and September came to 710.5 million euros, up by 14.4% over the first nine months in 2017.
Investments also improved in the construction sector: estimates for the two-year period 2019-2020
The ongoing recovery in the Italian construction sector contributed to results for vehicle and machinery imports. Data analysed by the SaMoTer – Prometeia Outlook indicate growth in investments of 0.5% in the third quarter of the year.
Forecasts for the final balance in 2018 consequently continue to rise, closing at 140.5 billion euros, up by 1.9%. Residential construction (2.6%) was once again the driving sector in 2018, thanks to renovations and energy requalification projects; the non-residential sector also performed well (+1.7%), while public works are still struggling to take off (+0.3%).
For the next two years, the Outlook estimates further expansion by 2.1% per year on average, above all thanks to the strong impact of public funding in civil engineering, which in 2020 will increase total investments in infrastructures by 6%, in addition to +2.5% expected in 2019.
These are encouraging signals during the run-up to the 31st edition of SaMoTer, the only event in Italy dedicated to all construction equipment sectors scheduled at Veronafiere 21-25 March 2020 with a thematic focus on innovation and efficiency improvements of technologies.