Over the first three months of 2018, 2,713 machines have been sold in the Italian market, recording a growth of 30 per cent compared to the same period last year. The number of earthmoving machines sold stood 2,623, while road equipment 93.

?The Italian market confirms its growth trend also over the first months of 2018,? said Paolo Venturi, President of Unacea. ?However, we should keep in mind that a large part of this growth is more connected to the obsolescence levels of the existing fleet than a real recovery of the building industry. Indeed, during the years of the crisis, the replacement rate of obsolete machines has fallen. Recovery signs and expectations are stimulating the demand of new machines, but only a relaunch of investments in construction can stabilise medium-term growth,? he added.

In 2017, Italian export of construction equipment reaches ?2.8 billion, with a growth of 7 per cent. In particular, according to the last edition of the international trade report of the Samoter Outlook, realised in collaboration with Prometeia and Unacea, export growth figures were: road machinery (20 per cent), crushing and screening equipment (15 per cent), earthmoving machines (14 per cent), tower cranes (9 per cent) and concrete equipment (7.5 per cent). Only the export of drilling machines decreased (-18 per cent). Also imports grew (up 13 per cent), as well as the surplus of the trade balance, which increased by 4.6 per cent, reaching ?1.8 billion.

Regarding the destinations markets of Italian construction equipment exported, France was the first sales partner of Italy in 2017 for the industry, with machines imported for more than ?265 million, with a growth of 27 per cent compared to 2016.