French wheeled loaders sales up

Wheeled loader sales in France had increased slightly this year by the end of May, but CISMA (the French association of manufacturers of construction equipment and material handling technology) said that the market was divided into two separate camps depending on the tipping point of the machine.

It said that France was the second largest market in Europe for wheeled loaders after Germany. It was said to be a relatively stable market, between 2,000 and 2,500 units sold each year. However, this apparent stability conceals significant changes according to the segments, said CISMA.

With a market close to 1,100 units by the end of May 2017 for the year to date, sales of wheeled loaders increased by 2% compared to the same period last year.

Machines with a tipping load of less than 5,500kg recorded an increase of 8% by this May. CISMA said all segments were up, with the exception of 2,500 to 3,000kg machines. Above all, the biggest volume segment, with a tipping load between 3,000 and 3,500kg and representing 50% of the market, showed a strong increase of 11%.

However, sales of wheeled loaders with a tipping load higher than 5,500kg were down over the first five months of this year by 12%, reported CISMA, which added that almost all segments in this category showed a decrease.

The overall market for wheeled loaders should remain stable this year, it said.