Compared with midyear 2013, U.S. construction machinery exports dropped 17.3 percent during the first half of 2014. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), citing U.S. Department of Commerce data, $8.93 billion in exports were shipped to global markets compared to $10.8 billion in the first half of 2013.
Africa was the only world area in the plus column, with a 4.3 percent increase, while Australia/ Oceania recorded the steepest declines, at 38.6 percent, followed by South America with a 33.1 percent drop.
At midyear 2014, exports of construction machinery to Europe and Canada both declined compared to the first half 2013, 25.4 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively. Exports to Asia declined 13.9 percent, exports to Central America decreased 23.7 percent and exports to South America declined 33.1 percent.
Australia/ Oceania’s construction equipment export purchases decreased 38.6 percent, while Africa’s increased 4.3 percent.
The top countries buying the most U.S.-made construction machinery during the first half of 2014 were Canada, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.
