Analysis on Import and Export of Construction Machinery Products in the First Quarter of 2012

According to statistics of the General Administration of Customs, the import and export volume of construction machinery in China from January to March 2012 was 5.855 billion U.S. dollars, which was flat over the same period last year. The import value was 1.753 billion U.S. dollars, a decrease of 37.4% over the previous year; the export value was 4.102 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 34.2% over the previous year, and the trade surplus was 2.350 billion U.S. dollars, far higher than the 256 million U.S. dollars in the same period of last year.

In March 2013, the import value was US$694 million, a year-on-year decrease of 35.6%, and an increase of 1.8% from the previous quarter. Exports in March totaled 1.606 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 26% and an increase of 56.4% from the previous month.

From January to March 2012, the total machine price of the machine reached 1.008 billion U.S. dollars, a decrease of 39.3% over the previous year and accounted for 57.5% of the total import volume. Imports of spare parts and components totaled 745 million U.S. dollars, down 33.1% from the previous year and accounting for 42.5% of the total import volume. Among them, 4,654 sets of crawler excavators were imported, 563 million U.S. dollars, which was a year-on-year decrease of 61.3% and 47.7%, respectively. Imports have fallen more: tire excavators, road and graders, pavers, scrapers, tower cranes, all-terrain cranes, crawler cranes, stackers, and hand trucks. Imported products with more growth: Asphalt mixing equipment, tractors, concrete pumps, elevators and escalators, pile drivers and engineering rigs.

In terms of exports, the cumulative total export volume reached 2.719 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 41.7% over the previous year, accounting for 66.3% of the total export volume; and parts and components exports were 1.383 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 33.7% of the total export volume, an increase of 28.5% over the previous year. From March to March, exports of products such as crawler excavators, loaders, high-powered bulldozers, road builders and graders, scrapers, road rollers, asphalt mixing equipment, large-tonnage truck cranes, forklifts, concrete mixers, etc.

In the first quarter of 2012, the import and export of construction machinery showed the following characteristics:

First, imports continued to decline. Imports in January were US$438 million, a year-on-year decrease of 55.6% and a year-on-year decrease of 50%. Imports in a single month was the lowest level since November 2009. Imports increased in February and March, but still declined sharply compared to the same period of last year. In the first quarter, imports totaled 1.753 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 37.4%.

Second, export growth has slowed down. In January, it exported 1.469 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 37.78%. In February, it exported 1.027 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 43.3%. In March, it exported 1.606 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of which decreased to 26%. In the first quarter, it accumulated exports 4.102 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 34.2% year-on-year. The increase was slightly lower than in previous months, but it remained at a relatively high level.