Italian equipment body reveals market concern

Weak sales of construction machines are reported by the Italian equipment association, 2539 Unacea. According to this organisation, sales figures of earthmoving machines on the Italian market in 2010 show a market figure around 2% down. Enrico Santini, UNACEA president said, "2010 was the third negative year in which the sales volume was halved compared to the peak in 2007. The tax breaks in the first six months of the year played a very positive role, while the effects of the scrappage incentives were immaterial. Now it's time to get out of this emergency situation and to devise a stable system of incentives to innovation in the building site which should reward, giving them extra points in tenders, the building firms which invest in new equipment." The total amount of earthmoving machines sold in Italy in 2010 was of 13,424 units, while road machines (compactors and finishers) decreased by 17.7% with 413 units brought onto the market.

Lastly, thanks to the new statistical software Simon created by UNACEA, the survey of concrete batching machines, started last October, has expanded. In 2010 this branch was very severely hit by the crisis with drops of -32.3% for truck mixers and of -50% for concrete batching plants compared to the preceding year. On the contrary, truck mixer-pumps increased by 15.7%. In the first quarter of 2011 the data concerning truck mounted pumps will also be published, while a statistical survey of concrete pumps has been planned.