UK CONSTRUCTION – number 1 in Europe

A CEA and HMG commissioned Sector Report reveals UK Construction Sector ranked number one in Europe with a 24% market share. The full 3rd UK Construction Equipment Sector Report will be launched at PLANTWORX 2019

These positive findings were revealed in the Construction Equipment Association’s (CEA) latest Sector Report, on the UK construction equipment industry. Researched by consultants, Knibb Gormezano & Partners (KGP), and co-sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, extracts from the interim report showed record revenue for the industry in 2018, with sales of £13bn, up by 18% on the benchmark set for 2013.

The UK was the largest producer of construction equipment in Europe in 2018, and the 5th largest in the world – producing in excess of 60,000 units – earning manufacturers around £13bn in revenue. The confidence of the sector is due in part to massive infrastructure projects like High Speed 2 (HS2), Hinkley Point C and Highways England’s current £15bn five-year roads programme (RP1).

The Government has committed to further significant infrastructure investment and aims to expand the current housebuilding programme by another 30 per cent to 300,000 new homes a year. 2017 was a record year for new infrastructure and housing projects, with a value of around £106.5 billion. Investment in R&D increased a further 10% in 2018 to £220m.

PLANTWORX visitors will see first-hand the fruits of the manufacturers’ labour, with more entrants into the electric powered arena and a significant rise in manufacturers’ use of digitalisation and automation.

The use of Drones in construction has also grown dramatically in a short space of time – PLANTWORX has embraced this aerial revolution and will for the first time will host a dedicated Drone Fly Area – where suppliers will demonstrate the very latest in UAV technology.

There are 1,500 companies in the construction equipment supply chain, with a total direct workforce of 42,000. Yet the final Sector Report will reveal that one of the biggest challenges facing the industry remains that of skills.  The skills gap for UK construction equipment operators and manufacturers is widening. The technological advancements expected in the CE sector in the next 10 – 15 years are going to broaden this gap even further – particularly with emerging technologies. Automation and autonomy can fill that gap, but it is still a big challenge for the industry.

Rob Oliver, Chief Executive, Construction Equipment Association, said “The Sector Report comes five years since the last one in 2014. At that time our industry and the world economy were still recovering from the financial crisis triggered in 2008.

We can proudly report that the latest figures show record revenue for the sector and that the UK remains a good place to both manufacture and supply construction equipment.

PLANTWORX, 11-13 June 2019, East of England Arena & Events Centre, Peterborough. For more details on the event, a full exhibitor list and details of the new zones and initiatives visit www.plantworx.co.uk Registration for free fast track entry badges to the show is now open.