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.

Morocco: Cement deliveries were 1.04Mt in January 2026, a decrease of 19% compared to January 2025, according to the Ministry of National Territorial Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy.

By segment, deliveries intended for distribution were 533,870t, followed by deliveries to ready-mix concrete plants of 374,256t, to precast concrete plants of 119,500t, to building sites of 35,080t, to infrastructure of 76,023t and to mortars plants of 5565t.

These statistics come from internal data from members of the Professional Association of Cement Manufacturers (APC), namely Asment Temara, Ciments de l’Atlas, Ciments du Maroc, LafargeHolcim Maroc and Novacim.

Trinidad & Tobago: Trinidad Cement (TCL) has announced a 15% cement price increase, which will be implemented on 9 February 2026. It blamed higher natural gas prices for the increase, the sixth in as many years.

"As the National Gas Company's previously announced increase in natural gas prices has now been confirmed retroactive to 1 January 2026, this is having a direct and significant impact on TCL's production costs," TCL noted in a statement. "TCL remains firmly committed to maintaining its operations in the country, supporting more than 350 direct employees and over 400 local contractors and suppliers, and continuing its contribution to the economy as a leading foreign exchange generator, with exports expected to exceed US$40m in 2026."
TCL also highlighted wider pressures on the manufacturing sector, saying it has experienced significant increases in manufacturing costs, including raw materials, packaging, and general inflationary pressures, which it said had already ‘materially impacted’ production costs.

France: Vicat Group has received two 100% electric trucks from Renault Trucks, which will operate from SATM Transport, the group’s transport and logistics subsidiary in Chambéry, Savoie, south east France. SATM Transport will use the trucks to transport cement and aggregates – without CO¬2 emissions – in the Rhône-Alpes and Savoie regions.