Retail sales of construction and earthmoving equipment continued to show slowing levels of sales in March this year. Equipment sales in March were 3.5% below the levels in the same month last year. This reduced the increase in sales in the first quarter to a modest 2.7% increase compared with Q1 levels last year, reaching close to 8,700 units. This slowing rate of growth in the first quarter of the year is in line with expectations, following the very high levels of sales recorded in 2021, which turned out to be a record year.
Amongst the popular equipment types, wheeled loaders have edged ahead of telehandlers (for the construction industry), to show the strongest growth in Q1 sales at just under 40% compared with 2021 levels. The weakest start to the year has been experienced by road rollers, showing nearly 40% lower sales than in the first quarter of last year. The most popular equipment type in the UK, mini/midi excavators (up to 10 tonnes), is showing a small shortfall on sales last year, with sales in Q1 at just under 4% below 2021 levels.
