VDMA expects no major fluctuations in 2013
In 2012, the German construction equipment and building material machinery industry generated 12.5 billion € in turnover. Construction equipment made up 7.9 billion € of this sum while 4.6 billion € were allotted to building material, glass and ceramics machinery. This is a nominal decrease of around 1 % compared to 2011. After having seen an upturn following the 2009 crises, the industry is now moving sideways. Companies belonging to the industry are currently full of confidence in light of the bauma fair (15.–21.04.2013 in Munich). But Johann Sailer, Chairman of the industry’s association, warns. According to him, 2013 will not see any peaks. The numbers of orders which came in in the 4th quarter 2012 do not yet indicate any growth either. An increase in demand is most likely to be seen in the second half of the current year, so that the good level of the previous year should also be reached once again in 2013. Of great influence and impact will be the situation in China. In 2012, the domestic market for construction machinery saw a decline of 30 %. As with the automotive industry, China has become an important factor for the production and sales of construction machinery. At the moment, the country is facing financing problems and surplus capacities. Experts believe China will overcome this situation within the next 18 months. In the long-run, this country will be and will remain the top market for construction machinery again. The industry is putting a spotlight on Indonesia already by making it this year’s partner country.
