NEWS
CONSTRUCTION MACHINES
Italian market still in crisis in the first nine months of the year
From January to September 2011 only 7,173 earthmoving machines were sold, with a drop of 26.2% compared to the same period in 2010. And the decrease is even worse (about -30%) if we compare the third quarter and the second one. Negative trend also for road machines (-47.2%) and concrete equipment, i.e. truck mixers, truck mixer-pumps, plants, shotcrete machinery, truck mounted pumps and concrete pumps.
“We cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel of this crisis – comments Enrico Prandini (Komatsu) Unacea vicepresident -. The government should insert in the drecree on development some of the proposals we put forward at the table on construction machines at the ministry of economic development, particularly those concerning the creation of a registry of construction equipment and the awarding of extra points in competitions to firms investing in efficiency in the building yard, safety and environmental conservation. These measures do not entail any extra costs, but they can convey a sense of confidence and constrast the serious risks that the industry and the employment levels of the sector are currently running.”
“The Italian market of earthmoving machinery – adds Giampiero Biglia (Cnh Ce– Fiat Industrial), Unacea vicepresident – shows a different trend from other European markets. Even without the effects of the 2010 tax breaks, which contributed to the negative results of last semester, the situation remains dramatic. All product lines are being affected by this situation, demonstrating that there is a generalised stagnation of the building yards.”
“The stoppage of building yards and the situation of political instability – declares Paolo Salvadori, Le Oru-Imer Group president – are seriously endangering the concrete equipment industry. Compared to the preceding quarter, sales have decreased by around one third. The firms of the sector are trying to offset the losses on the home market by focusing on the export. But there must be a signal of change also from our country or we’ll never get out of this crisis.”
“We have proposed to the public decision-makers – affirms Federico Furlani, Simem CEO – a number of specific measures for the concrete equipment sector which would contribute to contrast the crisis, safeguarding employment volumes and promoting safety, innovation and respect for the environment in building yards. Many of these measures are at no cost for the state and could legitimately be inserted in the decree on development. We expect some answers.”
For the concrete equipment sector, Unacea proposes to promote through the awarding of extra points in competitions and/or tax cuts:
- the purchase of concrete batching plants equipped with pan-mixer and systems to control the production of concrete batching, in order to improve the quality and safety of the product;
- the purchase of truck mixers with safety systems for cleaning, the chute and drum block, also considering the severe accidents happened in the course of the year;
- the use in towns and metropolitan areas of machines powered by truck power take-off, whose emissions are lower than those of machines with auxiliary engines;
- the execution of checks on the pumps, with benefits for clients such as a possible reduction of insurance premiums.
For all construction equipment, Unacea asks for the creation of a registry:
- to identify targeted modernization measures according to pollution levels and to fleet obsolescence of specific areas, in order to preserve safety and the environment;
- to ascertain the conformity of vehicles to the regulations on safety and the environment;
- to contrast the importation of non-compliant machines and marketing through illegal organisations;
- to fight the theft and resale of stolen machines inside and outside the country’s borders.
* the variation of percentages for concrete equipment ( i. e. truck mixers, truck mixer-pumps, plants, shotcrete machinery, truck mounted pumps and concrete pumps) will be published starting from 2012, because, due to news reporters, the data of 2010 are not homogeneus.