Equipment manufacturers' revenues down -2.6% in 2014

The world’s 50 largest construction equipment manufacturers saw their revenues fall -2.6% last year to US$ 159 billion according to the results of the 2015 Yellow Table study by International Construction magazine.

The fall was less severe than the -12.2% drop in revenues seen in last year’s Yellow Table, which was based on 2013 revenues.

Although buoyancy in North America and a return to growth in European markets helped lift some manufacturers’ revenues, weakness in emerging economies – particularly China – and the continued slowdown in global mining activity, proved to be greater headwinds.

At US$ 159 billion, revenues last year for the global equipment top 50 were some -15% lower than the all time high of US$ 186 billion, seen in 2012. They were also lower than the pre-crisis high of US$ 168 billion seen in 2008.

In terms of the rankings, Caterpillar and Komatsu retained their no.1 and no.2 positions, as they have done over the 13-year history of the Yellow Table.

Elsewhere in the Top 10, Volvo and Hitachi swapped places compared to last year, although there is very little in it - just US$ 5 million in revenues separated the two companies. Terex and Liebherr also traded places, but again the gap was small.

More significant was XCMG’s move into the Top 10, which establishes it as China’s largest construction equipment manufacturer ahead of Sany and Zoomlion. The company’s three-place rise reflects the increase in revenues following its acquisition of Germany’s Schwing.

Full details of this year’s Yellow Table , are available in the April issue of International Construction. Click here for a FREE subscription to the magazine.