Production and import of construction and road equipment in 2022

Vladimir Novoselov

Only the Russian economy began to recover against the backdrop of a fading pandemic, and now it was dealt another blow, this time “thanks to” a special military operation in Ukraine.

How did the war affect the construction and road equipment market after foreign manufacturers left Russia? At first, there were different opinions: from “how will we dig the ground and lay asphalt without foreigners” and “now everyone will be flooded with equipment from China” to “finally, domestic manufacturers will be able to turn around to the fullest.” Let's look at the statistics and see what actually happened.

According to data for the I-III quarters of 2022, the market size for the main types of construction and road machines (front-end loaders1, full-rotation excavators2, backhoe loaders, bulldozers3, motor graders, road rollers, wheel cranes4, skid steer loaders5) did not collapse, as expected, but either remained at the level of the previous year, or even increased (in some places quite significantly), and only in some places there was a slight decline.

Unfortunately, Russian manufacturers have not shown breakthrough results. Everything roughly remained in line with 2021, someone released a little more, someone a little less. In truth, such a result can be considered very successful, because in the conditions when our factories were left without imported "unfriendly" components, one would expect the worst development of events. But due to the fact that enterprises were able to quite quickly replace inaccessible foreign components with domestic, Chinese or parallel imports, production was maintained. Well, in the current conditions, the authorities are talking about import substitution with even greater zeal. Unfortunately, over the past eight years since the announcement of this campaign, almost nothing has changed.

The main driver of growth in the market of construction and road equipment has become the Chinese, actively "import substituting" everything that is possible. For some companies, the growth in supplies compared to the same period in 2021 reached 2-10 times. Interestingly, under such conditions, the native government will leave a chance for national enterprises to survive, or will it finally bury the last survivors?

Curiously, that many foreign companies from countries that joined the anti-Russian sanctions did not leave Russia. Under the circumstances, they had to find solutions in order, on the one hand, not to lose a capacious market, and on the other hand, not to fall under sanctions themselves. Those who have their own enterprises in our country suspended production, but supplies from abroad continued, albeit in smaller volumes, someone from their Chinese and Indian factories, someone - by crooked paths from Europe, Japan, South Korea and America.

 

Imported equipment

Exc

Imports of full-revolving excavators in combination with the production of foreign brands of excavators in Russia in Q1-Q3 2022 increased by 40%. At the same time, import volumes reached a record high for the entire post-USSR era - 6,728 new excavators, which is 67% more than in the same period in 2021. The production of foreign machines this year was carried out mainly in the first quarter, respectively, the results are low: 577 units against last year's 1175 for three quarters.

This year, Hyundai regained its first place in terms of deliveries: the result of January-September - 1074 excavators (plus 39%). Doosan has the second line among non-Chinese companies - 826 units (plus 41%). Komatsu closes the top three: in the I-III quarters of 2022, the Japanese manufacturer delivered 745 excavators, of which 472 units were imported and 273 were produced at the plant in Yaroslavl. Compared to last year, the decline in total supplies is 22%. This is followed by Caterpillar with 621 excavators, which is 16% more than a year earlier: of this number, 579 machines were imported and 42 were manufactured at the plant in Tosno. The top five also includes Hitachi: the total figure is 553 excavators, of which 291 were imported from abroad and 262 were assembled at the plant in Tver, in general, an 8% decrease compared to the result of 2021. More than a hundred excavators were delivered by JCB (210 units) and Volvo (102 units), both manufacturers have a significant decline in volumes compared to the first three quarters of 2021. In addition, 214 cars of other non-Chinese brands were declared.

For many years, the import of excavators from China was actually a single one. However, over the past three years, there has been an increase in the Chinese presence. So, in the I-III quarters of 2020, 98 machines were declared, a year later - 609, for the same period of the current year - 2960. Sany has the best result among Chinese brands - 858 cars (an increase of 5.6 times), the second place belongs to SDLG – 470 units (up 2.4 times), third line behind XCMG – 444 machines (up 3 times), Zoomlion – 339 machines (up 9 times), LiuGong – 259 machines (up 6.3 times), Shantui - 230 machines (10-fold increase). In addition, 179 pieces of Sunward and 124 Lonking excavators have been declared; previously, almost no excavators of these brands were supplied to Russia. Earth-moving equipment of other Chinese brands was imported 57 units.

The volume of imports of used excavators for the period under review in 2022 amounted to 102 units against 48 units a year ago.

Pogr

The import of wheel loaders, despite the stormy Russian economy, continues to grow for the second year in a row. From January to September 2022, 7,140 new machines were imported into Russia, which is 25% more than last year, while for the same period in 2021, the increase was 82%. Thus, the record for the entire post-Soviet period was broken. The vast majority of machines of this type entering the Russian market are of Chinese origin. Their share in the import segment was 96% (another record figure), a year earlier the Chinese accounted for 89%.

In the segment of wheel loaders, the struggle for superiority between the two leading brands in the Russian market, XCMG and SDLG, has been going on for many years. A year earlier, the championship was for SDLG, now it's the turn of the manufacturer from Xuzhou to recoup. Its current result of 1385 cars is 77% higher than last year's figure. The sensation was the entry of the Lonking brand into second place with 1147 loaders (plus 75% compared to the level of I-III quarters of 2021). SDLG slowed down a bit and moved to the third line: total - 854 machines (minus 18%). LiuGong follows with 554 loaders (plus 20%). More than three hundred pieces of Lovol, Shantui and SEM brands have been declared. The first two brands saw significant positive gains compared to 2021, while SEM lost 28%. Sany loaders were previously delivered to our country singly, in the I-III quarters of 2022, 240 such machines were imported at once. In addition, more than 100 units of XGMA, DISD and HZM brands were imported. Among others, another 1270 loaders of several dozen Chinese brands have been declared.

The number of imported loaders of non-Chinese brands during the period under review has decreased as expected. In the top five: Liebherr - 76 units, Caterpillar - 47 units, Hitachi - 39 units, Komatsu – 36 units and Hyundai - 30 units. Most, except Liebherr and Hitachi, are in the red.

The volume of deliveries of used wheel loaders for three quarters amounted to 20 units, last year it was 12.

Exc pogr

The import of backhoe loaders for the first three quarters of 2022 decreased by 15% compared to the same period in 2021. If we consider the assembly of foreign equipment in Russia, the decline is even greater, since John Deere did not carry out production at its plant in Domodedovo near Moscow this year, despite the fact that 70 units were produced a year earlier.

JCB is consistently the leader in terms of deliveries: 780 machines were imported during the reporting period – 22% less than in the I-III quarters of 2021. Cukurova has the second highest result: 304 machines, despite the fact that previously there were practically no deliveries of backhoe loaders of this brand. The third is Hidromek: 300 units, plus 6%. This is followed by: MST – 205 units (minus 7%); Case – 128 units (minus 61%); New Holland – 112 units (plus 50%). The rest of the manufacturers did not overcome the bar of 100 units: in total, 514 pieces of such equipment were delivered.

From January to September of this year, 13 pieces of backhoe loaders that were in operation were declared, for the same period last year there were 4.

Mini Pogr

Imports of skid steer loaders, taking into account the production of foreign models in Russia, increased by 13% from January to September 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. During the reporting period, 1,711 units of new equipment were imported and 8 cars were assembled in Russia.

This year, Chinese brands have taken the first positions. Lonking was the first: 667 loaders were imported in the I-III quarters, which is 2.1 times more than in the same period of 2021. In second place is LiuGong with 195 skid steer loaders, which has tripled its own last year's result. On the third line is Sunward with a supply volume of 154 units (an increase of 5.1 times). XCMG's fourth result is 91 loaders (plus 78%). Other Chinese declared 259 units.

Among non–Chinese brands, JCB has the best result - 133 cars, which is 8% more than a year ago. Other manufacturers' volumes have not reached hundreds: Bobcat – 79 units (minus 80%), Caterpillar – 34 units (minus 37%), Locust – 24 units (minus 53%). CNH concern's equipment (Case and New Holland brands) totaled 23 units (a 10-fold decline), of which only 8 were assembled at its own plant in Naberezhnye Chelny. Skid steer loaders of other non-Chinese brands were declared in the amount of 60 units.

Used skid steer loaders imported 174 units, while in the I-III quarters of 2021 – 184 units.

Bul

The import of bulldozers remained almost at last year's level. The result for the I-III quarters in the segment of new machines is 1,651 units, for the same period in 2021 – 1,614 units. This year, the Chinese are expected to push their famous competitors. Shantui has 699 units, an increase of 75% compared to last year's figure. Zoomlion, previously unnoticeable in the bulldozer segment, is increasing its presence in the Russian market, it has 266 machines (plus 39%). SEM has 140 units (52% growth). 113 bulldozers of other Chinese brands were also imported.

Of the non-Chinese, Komatsu was the first, the result for January-September 2022 was 160 bulldozers, which is 60% less than in the same period of 2021. Caterpillar declared 131 units of equipment (minus 27%). Liebherr has 90 bulldozers (minus 5%). John Deere reported 31 units, which is 70% worse than last year's figure. Other non-Chinese brands imported 21 units.

The segment of used bulldozers amounted to 16 cars, a year earlier – 19.

Greid

The import of motor graders, including the production of foreign models in Russia, increased 2.6 times in the first three quarters of 2022 and amounted to 567 units, which is 7% less than in the same period last year.

The leader, as a year ago, is SEM with 155 machines (plus 6%). SDLG is in second place with the result of 114 machines (plus 9%). In the third place is XCMG, which declared 112 graders, which is 2 times higher than a year ago. LiuGong has 64 units (minus 4%). Caterpillar – 39 units (46% decrease). Sany – 34 units (there were no deliveries last year). In addition, 19 graders of other Chinese brands and 29 non–Chinese ones were imported. This year, John Deere assembled only one grader at its Russian plant, in the I-III quarters of 2021 - 110.

The volume of deliveries of used graders amounted to 2 pieces, a year ago – 3.

Katki

The import of road rollers after the recession in 2019 continues to grow for the third year in a row. In January-September 2022, the volume of deliveries increased by 11%, a total of 2,045 new machines were declared, which exceeds all the highest pre-crisis indicators.

This year, the number of Chinese vehicles has increased many times – from last year's 734 to 1622 units. At the same time, the number of non-Chinese decreased from 1102 to 423 units. The palm of the championship at XCMG is 773 rollers (2.9–fold increase). LiuGong with 216 rollers is in second place (plus 24%). The third line at Sany is 190 units (there were no deliveries in the I-III quarters of 2021). On the fourth – Shantui: 156 units, twice as many as a year earlier. Bomag closes the top five with 139 rollers (a decline of 56%). This is followed by: SDLG – 107 rollers (plus 20%), Ammann – 90 rollers (minus 55%), Dynapac and Hamm – 53 rollers each (minus 42% and 83%), Caterpillar – 47 rollers (minus 56%) and SEM – 44 rollers (plus 4%). 136 rollers of other Chinese brands were imported, 41 non–Chinese ones.

The volume of deliveries of used rollers fell from last year's 252 to 112 units.

K kran

The import of wheeled cranes during January-September 2022 increased by 2.2 times and reached a record value of 986 units over the past 30 years, about as much per year is produced by the average Russian crane-building enterprise. At the same time, the supply of Chinese equipment has almost tripled, and non–Chinese equipment has almost halved.

A large share of imports fell on XCMG equipment: 495 cranes were declared in the reporting period of 2022 – 2.5 times more than in the same period of 2021. The Zoomlion brand follows with not so much lag behind the leader – 400 cranes (an increase of 4.2 times). The third line at Sany is 47 cranes and minus 32% to last year's level. Of the non-Chinese brands, Terex is in the first place with 20 cranes and 10-fold growth. Tadano has 11 taps and a 3-fold drop. Liebherr imported four times fewer cranes than a year ago – 10 units. Other manufacturers have even more modest indicators: Kato – 1 crane (2 pieces less), Grove – 2 cranes (also 2 pieces less).

Deliveries of used cranes amounted to 57 units, last year there were 68 units.

 

The author of the article expresses gratitude for the statistical information provided by Id-Marketing LLC (www.id-marketing.ru ) and M.V. Struk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stroydormash LLC.

 

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  1. Statistical sample includes articulated wheel loaders, excluding loaders with an operating weight of less than 5 tons and more than 40 tons, skid steer loaders, telehandlers, tractor-based loaders, crawler loaders, forklifts, warehouse and mining loaders.
  2. The statistical sample includes truck and wheeled full-revolving excavators with an operating weight of 12 to 70 tons.
  3. The statistical sample does not include mini-bulldozers with an operating weight of less than 5 tons.
  4. The statistical sample includes wheeled cranes: automobile, on a special automobile-type chassis and short-base cranes.
  5. The statistical sample includes skid steer wheel and truck loaders.

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