In May, the UK saw a slowdown in construction and earthmoving equipment sales, dropping 5% compared to the same month in 2022.
Despite this, the total sales for the first five months of 2023 remained nearly 6% higher than the same period last year, with 15,900 units sold.
This slowdown aligns with predictions made by industry insiders at the recent Plantworx show, who anticipated a market ease after record-breaking activity levels in 2022 and early 2023. Further modest reductions are expected in the latter half of 2023, with overall equipment sales projected to fall behind 2022 levels.
The sales pattern for major equipment types varied. Wheeled loaders led the pack with a 15% increase in sales over the first five months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Road rollers and crawler excavators also showed strong growth, while the UK market’s most popular product, mini/midi excavators, saw only a modest 3% growth.
Regionally, Scotland and the South East of England boasted the strongest sales, approximately 30% ahead of last year’s levels. Conversely, the North West of England and Northern Ireland experienced the weakest sales, with decreases of 17% and 14% respectively.
Sales in the Republic of Ireland matched 2022 levels in May, resulting in a 2.6% increase in sales for the first five months of 2023 compared to the same period last year.
