U.S. Construction Equipment Exports drop 13% in 2014.
Press Release Summary:
Exports of U.S.-made construction equipment ended 2014 with a 13.2% drop compared to 2013, with a total $17.26 billion shipped to global markets. Business to Europe, South America, and Australia/Oceania was hit the hardest, according to AEM, citing U.S. Department of Commerce data it uses in global markets reports for members. Top countries buying the most U.S.-made construction machinery during 2014 (by dollar volume) were Canada, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, and South Africa.
Original Press Release:
U.S. Construction Equipment Exports Drop 13 Percent in 2014
Exports of U.S.-made construction equipment ended 2014 with a 13.2-percent drop compared to 2013, with a total $17.26 billion shipped to global markets.
U.S. exports fell to all world regions for 2014. Business to Europe, South America and Australia/Oceania was the hardest hit, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), citing U.S. Department of Commerce data it uses in global markets reports for members.
Exports by World Region
Year-end 2014 U.S. construction equipment exports by major world regions compared to year-end 2013:
Canada dropped 2 percent, for a total $6.66 billion
South America declined 28.3 percent, for a total $2.57 billion
Asia decreased 7.1 percent, for a total $1.98 billion
Europe dropped 22.6 percent, for a total $1.98 billion
Central America fell 11.4 percent, for a total $1.95 billion
Africa decreased 5.2 percent to $1.23 billion
Australia/Oceania fell 32.4 percent to $889.5 million
Exports by Top 10 Countries
The top countries buying the most U.S.-made construction machinery during 2014 (by dollar volume) were:
Canada - $6.66 billion, down 2 percent
Mexico - $1.59 billion, down 11.3 percent
Australia - $808.3 million, down 34.9 percent
Brazil - $720.5 million, down 19 percent
South Africa - $669.5 million, down 1 percent
Chile - $617.4 million, down 38.2 percent
Belgium - $461.3 million, down 25.2 percent
Peru - $460.4 million, down 27.8 percent
China - $367.8 million, down 3.1 percent
Saudi Arabia - $326.9 million, up 10.7 percent  Â
Market Analysis Overview
The fourth quarter of 2014 marked the eighth consecutive quarter that U.S. construction equipment exports experienced year-over-year declines.
While exports have been decreasing steadily since the second quarter of 2012, imports have been trending higher. The fast growth in the post-recession export figures (2009-2012) was a strong driver for domestic manufacturers, though it appears the domestic market has become one of the more robust growth engines for the industry.
The recent declines in total construction equipment exports, which were in line with regional development, have been partly due to:
A retrenching from accelerated spending earlier in the economic recovery
A strengthening dollar against the Japanese Yen
Declines in commodity prices, particularly oil, copper and coal
From a global perspective, the U.S. market remains strong, though somewhat affected by the oil price declines.
In the global markets:
South America, and specifically the Brazilian market, remain challenging
China also experienced a sluggish demand, despite government stimuli
Europe's market remained uneven with growth in the United Kingdom
The Russian market declined significantly
The strong decrease in exports to Belgium can be attributed to the overall European market, as Belgium remains a through-put nation
More Economic Resources
AEM’s Construction Equipment Global Markets report (and select other reports) are available to the public online (www.aem.org) through the AEM store (www.safetymaterials.org). Â AEM members may access the report via the AEM website/Market Intelligence section.
Custom detailing exports by 10 Digit HS code to various countries worldwide, as well as an overview of export market opportunities by product, are available on request. For more information, contact AEM’s Benjamin Duyck, director of market intelligence (bduyck@aem.org).Â