Germany: The Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau (VDMA), which represents 3000 mainly small and medium-sized engineering companies in Germany and elsewhere in Europe has stated that the construction equipment industry is starting 2026 with a ‘mixed picture.’ In a press release it said that, even though the figures are ‘more positive than in previous years,’ the industry continues to face a ‘difficult’ political and economic environment.
The VDMA reported that, while order intake picked up noticeably towards the end of the 2025 and was up by 18% overall in 2025 compared to 2024, the industry recorded a 1% price-adjusted decline year-on-year.
Construction equipment suppliers expect nominal sales growth of 5% for 2026. However, this only represents a moderate recovery after a decline of 21% in 2024 (compared to 2023) and a little year-on-year change in 2025.
At the annual meeting of the specialist group VDMA Construction Equipment on 30 January 2026 in Frankfurt, the mood was reportedly optimistic. Orders in public construction are picking up thanks to €500bn in infrastructure investments, but the current political and economic situation is causing noticeable uncertainty. The dominant issues continue to be what members perceive as overregulation in Europe and unfair competition. Pressure is growing due to uncontrolled cheap imports from China, which are increasing due to significant local overcapacity. The unpredictability of the US administration and the massive expansion of steel tariffs in the US are also causing concern. European construction equipment exports to the US fell by nearly 30% in 2025.
