Global wheeled loader sales last year reached 163,139 units, a 33% rise on 2016. These machines had a retail value of US$14.8 billion, according to Off-Highway Research’s new report, The Global Wheeled Loader Industry.
The OHR report notes that the key growth driver was a surge in the Chinese market, which represented 43% of global sales in 2017. The underlying factor was a sharp increase in infrastructure investment by the Chinese Government and through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Despite the up-tick in construction activity and sales, OHR states that wheeled loaders are declining in relative popularity in China due to the rise of compact and crawler excavator and ‘economical’ wheeled loaders as alternative tools.
A summary of the new OHR report continues: “This year is expected to represent the high point of the current cycle of global wheeled loader sales, with demand set to exceed 170,000 machines. The expected decline in China over the next two to three years will see global sales decline. However, this will be partially offset by growth elsewhere in the world, most notably in North America.
“The expected decline of a relatively low-cost market in China, and the rise of the higher value North American region means the value of the global wheeled loader segment will continue to climb despite the dip in unit sales. Sales in the sector are expected to reach US$17.8 billion (in today’s prices) by 2022, compared to US$14.8 billion in 2017.”
