Plant sales boom, 2021 figures show

2 February 2022

Retail sales of construction and earthmoving equipment maintained their strength in the final quarter of 2021, and showed an increase of just under 18% compared with Q4 2020, according to data from the statistics exchange run by Systematics International Ltd in partnership with the Construction Equipment Association (CEA). 

As a result, sales in the UK and Ireland for the whole of 2021 finished the year at 48% above 2020 levels, reaching over 36,000 units for the equipment types covered by the analysis. 

This mirrors the upbeat mood of many industry professionals featured on the blog last year, with some hirers reporting record years and suppliers pulling out all the stops to meet demand. 

The statistics show that sales last year exceeded the levels reached in 2018 and 2019, which were reported as being peak levels for the industry since before the credit crisis in the previous decade. 

Telescopic handler sales to the construction industry saw the strongest growth, with sales reaching more than double the 2020 levels. This could reflect the strength of the house building market.

In contrast, the weakest sales were experienced by mini/midi excavators (up to 10 tonnes), with the rate of increase falling back to 33% in 2021. However, it follows on from this product category having been the strongest growing sector in the previous year. 

Perhaps this last point reflects the supply difficulties and import disruptions cited frequently by construction industry professionals. But overall these statistics paint a positive picture. 

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