U.S. construction equipment exports fall 25% in 1Q

Exports of U.S.-made construction equipment declined 25 percent overall for the first quarter of 2016, compared to the same period last year, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

A total of $2.7 billion in equipment was shipped during the quarter, with the African and South American markets each down nearly 50 percent. On the plus side, U.S. exports to Europe gained 5 percent during the same time period.

According to Benjamin Duyck, AEM’s director of market intelligence, the first quarter of this year marked the 13th consecutive quarter that U.S. construction exports experienced year-­over­-year declines.

“The continued downturn in exports is linked to the strong U.S. dollar,” says Duyck, which made U.S. equipment more expensive.

While the global construction industry is expected to grow 3.4 percent this year, according to Business Monitor International, roughly half that growth is expected from North American markets.

AEM says the most impactful decreases in exports were in the earthmoving equipment segment, which decreased around 35 percent.

“While small, we did see increases in the lifting equipment segment, driven mostly by self­propelled aerial work platforms,” Duyck says.

Exports to the European port country of Belgium were up 38 percent; the United Kingdom and Germany also saw increases. Exports to Germany were driven by a boost in excavators and wheel loaders, while the UK saw increases in aerial work platform exports.