China construction equipment companies target US market

First published at CONEXPO-CON/AGG - March 13, 2020

Several representatives from Chinese equipment manufacturers spoke at the CCMA event

Chinese equipment manufacturers at ConExpo have been outlining their plans to expand in the US market.

At an event held by the China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA) and supported by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, the audience heard that nine Chinese companies were ranked in the top 50 global construction equipment manufacturers in 2019.

Dick Cai, president and CEO of the US operation of Sunward Equipment, said that localising support in parts and services is critical for success in markets such as the US. “It’s a very challenging time in our industry,” said Cai. “We have been in the US for seven years, and last year we established our new US headquarters in Dallas, Texas.”

Sales of Chinese construction machinery exceeded RMB660bn (US$94.87bn) in 2019, according to a report published by the CCMA and the CCCME (China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products). The export value of Chinese construction machinery totalled US$24.2bn last year, a growth of 3% with a trade surplus of US$20.3bn.

Cai was bullish about the future prospects for Chinese manufacturers in the US. “We are behind you guys in America but not for much longer,” he said. “We are going to catch up and we are going to be great.”

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