Excavators with 360° superstructure market in Germany

Earlier Report Observations

From 2018, the German market for excavators with a 360-degree revolving superstructure was supported by ongoing state infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and utilities. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport acknowledged an investment gap in the railway sector, leading to catch-up spending that indirectly boosted demand for construction machinery. In 2020, despite the pandemic, the used excavator segment showed strong activity with nearly 40,000 purchase inquiries in the first half of the year, indicating sustained market interest.

Market volume grew from 22 000 units in 2021 to 27 000 units in 2022, a 20% increase. This expansion was driven by rising infrastructure projects and expenditures from both public and private actors across Europe, including Germany. Technological advances and the introduction of new, more efficient machine models also contributed to the market's growth during this period.

Market volume declined to 24 000 units in 2023 and fell sharply to 12 000 units in 2024, reflecting the cyclical challenges faced by the construction machinery industry. Nevertheless, the 2024 federal budget continued to allocate funds for infrastructure, and new players such as DEVELON and JCB entered the market with compact mini-excavators targeting urban construction needs. Technological innovations, including improved hydraulic systems, continued to shape product development.

Production excavators with 360° superstructure in Germany

According to Faostat, there is no production of excavators with 360° superstructure in Germany.

Exports excavators with 360° superstructure from Germany

Exports in kind, unit

Germany's exports of excavators with 360° superstructures declined for the second year in a row. In 2020, shipments abroad reached 20 872 units, which was 8.8% lower than the previous year. Looking at the period from 2017 to 2020, exports fell by 3.2%, averaging an annual decrease of 1.1%. The highest export volume was recorded in 2018 at 23 562 units, which also saw the largest annual increase of 9.3%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Germany in kind, 2017-2020, unit

From 2017 to 2020, the Netherlands, Poland, and France were consistently the top destinations for Germany's exports of excavators with 360° superstructures. The Netherlands accounted for 47.8% of exports in kind, Poland for 7.9%, and France for 6.4%. Together, these three countries made up 62.1% of total export flows during this period.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Germany in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, M $ US

Germany's export value for excavators with 360° superstructures also fell for the second consecutive year. In 2020, exports totaled 1 678 million US dollars, a sharp decline of 14.3% compared to 2019. The peak export value was recorded in 2018 at 1 991 million US dollars, which also experienced the largest annual increase of 18.9%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Germany in value, 2017-2020, M $ US

In value terms, Germany's exports of excavators with 360° superstructures were more geographically dispersed from 2017 to 2020. The Netherlands was the top destination with 17.8% of export value, followed by France at 11.3% and the United States at 6.0%. Combined, these three countries accounted for just 35.2% of total export flows, with the remaining 64.8% spread across a wide range of other markets.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Germany in value, 2017-2020

Imports excavators with 360° superstructure to Germany

Imports in kind, unit

Germany's imports of excavators with 360° superstructures decreased in 2020, with 21 462 units imported, down 3.0% from 2019. Over the 2017-2020 period, imports grew by 13.7%, averaging an annual increase of 4.4%. The lowest import volume was in 2018 at 18 727 units, while the highest was in 2019 at 22 119 units, which also saw the largest annual rise of 18.1%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Germany in kind, 2017-2020, unit

From 2017 to 2020, the Netherlands, Austria, and France were the leading suppliers of excavators with 360° superstructures to Germany. The Netherlands contributed 25.4% of imports in kind, Austria 14.5%, and France 13.5%. Together, these three countries represented 53.4% of total import volumes during this timeframe.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Germany in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, M $ US

After increasing for two years, Germany's import value for excavators with 360° superstructures dropped in 2020. Imports amounted to 1 250 million US dollars, a significant decrease of 14.2% from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, imports rose by 7.5%, with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. The highest import value was recorded in 2019 at 1 456 million US dollars, which also had the largest annual increase of 16.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Germany in value, 2017-2020, M $ US

In value terms, France, the Netherlands, and Japan were the main sources of Germany's imports of excavators with 360° superstructures from 2017 to 2020. France accounted for 21.6% of import value, the Netherlands for 19.5%, and Japan for 13.8%. Combined, these three countries made up 54.8% of total import flows during this period.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Germany in value, 2017-2020