Sales outlook: normalisation after the 2022 peak
The study estimates 26,000 machines sold in Italy in 2025, compared with 13,500 units in 2017. After a peak of 29,700 units in 2022, CER expects a return to more typical levels, with 2026 sales forecast at 25,500 units, a 1.9% year-on-year decline.
CER links the 2026 outlook to a macroeconomic backdrop of moderate GDP growth (+0.3%), a 0.3% drop in construction investment, and inflation pressures connected to energy costs above 20%.
Jobs and trade balance
Total sector production value is estimated at EUR 4 billion. Direct employment is put at around 6,000, rising to 85,000 when the broader supply chain is included. On trade, CER lists EUR 3.2 billion in exports in 2025 versus EUR 2.3 billion in imports, leaving a EUR 900 million surplus. Nearly two-thirds of domestic output is destined for export markets.
Italy’s position in Europe
By units sold, Italy ranked as Europe’s third-largest market in 2025, behind Germany and the UK, overtaking France, with an estimated 15% European market share. CER points to Italy’s performance running counter to the wider region between 2019 and 2025: Italy is up 38.8% over the period, while Europe overall is down 9.4%. The same comparison shows declines in France (-28.3%), Germany (-22.7%), and the UK (-5.8%).
Link to construction supply chains
The study connects equipment demand to three related construction branches: civil engineering, demolition and site preparation, and installation of electrical, plumbing, and other building systems. Together, these activities account for EUR 135 billion in production value and employ around 694,000 people. Using the latest available Istat data cited, CER reports production value across these branches rose 69% between 2019 and 2023, versus 32% growth for overall Italian production in the same period. The strongest increase was in demolition and site preparation (+73%), followed by installation (+70%) and civil engineering (+65%).
Technology investment and jobsite transformation
On innovation, CER reports that more than 35% of companies make medium-to-high investments in R&D, while 35% to 44% invest in technology and digitalisation to support further mechanisation and changes in job-site practices, affecting productivity, safety, and project timelines.
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