Italian construction machinery exports improved in the first two months of 2022 (+12.7% compared to the same period in 2021), a performance prompting forecasts of a total value over 418.5 million euros.
This result was announced by SaMoTer-Veronafiere based on data published by Unacea and Cer (Centro Europadata Ricerche) in the run-up to the 31st international construction machinery exhibition scheduled 3-7 May 2023. The exhibition, one of the landmark professional appointments on a European scale, will see previews leading up to the main show starting with SaMoTer Day, next 13 June in the Salieri Hall of the Veronafiere Congress Centre.
The first quarter 2022 saw the Italian market grow by 34% on a trend basis; 5,051 construction machines were delivered in Italy (source Unacea), consolidating the strong recovery seen in 2021 (+30% over 2020 and 22,000 site vehicles sold on the domestic market). This positive trend also includes exports.
“Italian industry in this sector,” said Luca Nutarelli, Secretary General of Unacea Italia, “is demonstrating impressive vitality on international markets. Sales are also still doing well in Italy, despite the boom in prices for raw materials and growing difficulties in finding components needed to build machines. The challenge for the future lies in reacting to current difficulties and take the market to a higher level in terms of machine safety and environmental impact reduction. These aspects can be achieved by emphasizing a preference for vehicles with latest-generation internal combustion engines in private and public tenders; introducing the obligation to use concrete produced with a mixer for volumes exceeding 1500 cubic meters; harmonizing national legislation as regards construction waste in order to encourage and spread the use of selective demolition and recycling equipment on site.”
Analysing the first two months of 2022 in more detail, there was a boom (+166.6% trend) for road building machinery, up from 8.7 to 23.3 million euros, as well as machinery for preparing aggregates (+18.9%, worth more than 81 million euros), drilling machines (+28.4%, for an export value of 54.3 million euros), tower cranes (+23,9% for exports close to 33 million euros) and earthmoving machinery and equipment, the strongest sector in economic terms: exports came to 195.8 million euros in the first two months of 2022, posting growth of 1.2%.
The sector is facing a double challenge: consolidate the recovery, thanks to leverage on RRP / Recovery and Resilience Plan opportunities envisaged for the construction sector (with funds likely to exceed more than 107 billion euros), the need to improve infrastructures and logistics with a view to a new stage in globalization, and promoting an innovation, digitization and sustainability process as outlined on an EU scale by the Green Deal.
These will be the main focus points underlying the 31st SaMoTer at Veronafiere 3-7 May 2023. The aim is to relaunch a way ahead towards environmental, economic and social sustainability, performance improvements and a digitization process that will increasingly have to involve the construction supply chain and construction machinery sector.
SaMoTer is the only event in Italy that covers embrace all construction machinery sectors.
It is one of the partner international trade fairs belonging to CECE – the European Committee which brings together earthmoving and building machinery manufacturer associations.