Exports of U.S.-made construction equipment fell 25 percent for the first three quarters of 2016 compared to 2015, according to AEM. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers says U.S. Department of Commerce data indicated $8.2 billion of equipment was shipped to global markets. All world regions were in decline, it says: “For the past 15 quarters, U.S. exports of construction equipment declined year over year,” said Benjamin Duyck, AEM’s director of market intelligence. “In the third quarter of 2016, that trend remains unchanged. A key factor affecting the reduction in exports is most likely due to the strong dollar making U.S. manufacturers less competitive in the global marketplace. Of course, the strong currency is a problem that plagues all U.S. exports. Some international markets are still viable; exports are up year over year to Belgium and Germany, for example. “Our expectations for the fourth quarter remain subdued as the U.S. dollar is experiencing its longest rally in 16 years. With the global economic malaise, the slowdown in emerging markets and the negative interest rates seen in several economies’ bond markets, investment is flowing to the U.S. and U.S. stocks, driving up demand for our dollar, inadvertently affecting our competitiveness abroad.” Top 10 countries for exports: Source: AEM
US exports of construction equipment fell by 25% in the first three quarters of the year compared to last year, following a 15-quarter decline for the industry, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. According to Benjamin Duyck, the association’s director of market intelligence, the decline likely comes as increased dollar valuations have made US manufacturers less competitive in the global marketplace. He added that expectations for the current quarter are “subdued” due to the “global economic malaise”.