Finance & Funding

A report by Off-Highway Research suggests that worldwide construction machine sales could increase 16% this year. On a global basis, sales of construction machines are expected to exceed 810,000 units in 2017, with a value of more than US$80 billion. The report says that most major territories will see growth during 2017. However China’s resurgence will be crucial, as crawler excavator sales in the country have more than doubled in the first half of 2017, compared to the same period last year.

The Canadian government and that of the Yukon territory will invest more than US$290 million to improve 650km of roads within the northern territory. Around $199 million will come from the federal government and works include construction of several bridges for highways that lead into the Yukon's central Dawson Range and the Nahanni Range areas.

Colombia's strong focus on infrastructure development from 2011-2017 has seen the country make vast improvements to its road network. In all the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) has invested US$7.94 billion in the construction of 1,435km of new roads as well as over 200 new bridges. Colombia’s capital Bogota has benefited from a series of transport projects during this period. Meanwhile four highway projects will improve Bogota’s connections with the rest of the country.

Financing for a 240km toll road project that will connect Padang with Pekanbaru in Indonesia still needs to be finalised. A combination of loans from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and PPP funding is expected to pay for the project. In all the project is expected to cost US$2.63 billion, with construction work intended to start in 2018.

Strabag lands Dubrovnik Airport deal for runway work

The project to widen Managua’s Pista Juan Pablo II highway in Nicaragua has taken another step forward to commencing. Nicaragua’s Government is giving its approval for a loan to pay for the project. The US$105.4 million loan will be provided by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). Further funding worth $136 million is being provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB), with $33.4 million coming from the Nicaragua Government.

Global excavator demand will exceed $50 billion in 2021, according to a new market report by the US-based consultancy Freedonia.

China’s Guizhou Province is carrying out a major programme of road network expansion and development works. In all the plan calls for the construction of 97,000km of rural roads, which are being built in a bid to boost connectivity. Funding is being provided by the Bank of Guizhou and Bank of Guiyang in the shape of a series of loans.