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2. UK mini excavator sales decline from 2015 peak

The UK mini excavator market peaked at 13,373 machines last year, close to the pre-crisis record high of 14,850 unit sales in 2007.  However, with a high population of young machines and the uncertainty following the Brexit referendum, the market is expected to fall 12 per cent this year and remain around the 11,000 unit mark in the coming years.

The last decade has been a volatile one for mini excavator suppliers in the UK. Following the peak in 2007, the market fell to a low of 5,775 retail sales in 2009. It has grown steadily over the last six years to reach the 2015 peak.

“The first half of 2016 was characterised by a promising start followed by a slowdown in activity caused by the announcement of, and uncertainty of, the referendum, “ the report said. “The unexpected result has increased uncertainty and made investment in new equipment questionable."

Off-Highway Research puts the UK population of mini excavators at 57,000 machines, 85 per cent of which are owned by equipment rental companies.

This latest 40-page report is part of Off-Highway Research’s monthly European Market Reports subscription service. Click here for more details. The report can also be bought on its own here. Subscribers to Off-Highway Research’s  European Service can access and download the report from our Internet Access Service portal.