THE RUN-UP TO SAMOTER 2026 SEES THE ITALIAN CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY MARKET GROW BY 3% IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2025, DESPITE EXPORTS FALLING BY 8.8% IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY
The construction machinery sector began the year on a positive note, with 9,946 site vehicles sold on the Italian market between January and June, closing the first half of 2025 with at +3% compared to the same period 2024. In closer detail, sales involved 9,471 construction machines (+2%) and 475 road machines (+10%). This data was analysed by Unacea (Italian Construction Machinery Union), the institutional and strategic partner of the coming edition of SaMoTer – the triennial International Construction Machinery Exhibition, back on show at Veronafiere 6-9 May 2026.
According to the latest Unacea-Cer report, international trade in the sector is still declining: between January and May 2025, Italian construction machinery exports came to 1.293 billion euros, an 8.8% downturn compared to the same period 2024. Countries where exports increased the most between January and April 2025 include India, the Middle East, and Africa. The sectors posting the worst export results between January and May 2025 were: concrete machinery (-22%), followed by drilling machinery (-12.1%), aggregate preparation machinery (-11.8%) and road construction machinery (-8%). A slight downturn for the tower crane sector (-4.4%) as well as for earthmoving machinery and equipment (-4.2%). Imports, on the other hand, settled at 828 million euros, posting a slight decrease of 2.9%. Despite a 17.6% setback compared to 2024, the balance of trade is still in the black by 464 million euros. Even though the Italian market is assisted by government incentives, it is still among the most important in Europe in terms of volume and fleets.
Against this background, SaMoTer 2026 comes forward as a landmark international event for the entire supply chain: from earthmoving to lifting/hoisting, demolition, drilling and crushing, from quarry to construction site vehicles, from concrete to the road sector, as well as equipment, engine components and spare parts, logistics, services and ICT. The event organised by Veronafiere is part of the cycle of international partner shows under the CECE banner (the European Federation that brings together associations of construction machinery manufacturers). It will spotlight the Industry 4.0 revolution currently sweeping through the construction and site machinery sector by focusing on strategic topics linked to ecological transition and machine sustainability, digitalisation and artificial intelligence, construction site automation, and new solutions for road infrastructures, not to mention key issues such as safety, training and rental.
