SALES of UK Construction equipment slowed down in May new research has revealed.
The figures were revealed by the construction equipment statistics exchange, run by Systematics International Ltd in partnership with the Construction Equipment Association (CEA).
Sales were 5% below May 2022 levels and took sales in the first five months of the year to 15,900 units. This is still nearly 6% above the levels seen in the same period last year, but has fallen from a 9% increase reached after the first four months of the year.
The CEA said a slowdown has been expected and is consistent with comments made by some members at the recent Plantworx exhibition that the market is showing signs of easing back after record levels of activity last year and in the early months of 2023.
Further ‘modest’ reductions are expected in the second half of the year in anticipation that overall sales of equipment this year will fall behind 2022 levels.
Wheeled loaders are showing the strongest growth across the first five months of the year at 15% above last year’s levels.
In terms of geography, strongest sales so far this year are still in Scotland and the south east of England, where sales remain around 30% ahead of last year levels. The weakest sales remain in the north west of England (-17%) and Northern Ireland (-14%).
