Over the first six months of 2017, as many as 5,109 machines have been sold in the Italian market, up by 6 per cent compared to last year. The sector of earth moving machines grew by six per cent with 4,910 machines sold, while road equipment increases by nine per cent (199 machines sold).

?The Italian market continue to grow, albeit at a moderate pace, says Paolo Venturi, President of Unacea. ?The announced recovery of the real estate market should be a sign of an increasing confidence in the construction industry; however, political and economic instability remains a perceived concern, both from companies and foreign investors.?

According to the foreign market monitor, Samoter Outlook, the international demand for Italian earth moving machines and attachments grew: export of this sub-sector, between January and July 2017, reached ?359 million, up by 9 per cent year-on-year basis. The export of crushing and screening equipment (28 per cent) and road machinery (8 per cent) also shows positive growth. Export of tower cranes remains stable, while the trend is negative for drilling machines (-31 per cent) and for concrete equipment (-4.6 per cent). Also, import shows a positive trend with a growth of 14.5 per cent, with ?230 million in the first seven months of the year. The trade balance maintains a surplus of more than ?585 million, but loses 3.4 per cent.

Looking at regional trends, there is a recovery in the Russian market, whose trade exchange with Italy had undergone an abrupt slowdown, due to the deterioration of the international relations with the European Union. From January to July, the share of construction equipment export to Russia reached ?18 million, up 47 per cent while to India, export tripled its share (166 per cent). Also, the intra EU export was up (12 per cent), as well as export to Asia, Latin America and Oceania. However, export to the US, the Middle East and North Africa declined.