Good news and bad news

U.S. construction equipment exports dropped more than 38 percent in 2009 compared to the previous year for a total $12.8 billion worth of machinery shipped to other nations, with declines of between nearly 30 to 50 percent for major world regions. South and Central America as well as Asia were among the regions experiencing the smallest 2009 yearly declines.

The good news is that overall, quarter-to-quarter declines steadily improved, ending with a fourth-quarter 2009 gain of 26 percent over the third quarter, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). The AEM trade group consolidates U.S. Commerce Department data for off-road equipment with other sources into quarterly export trend reports.

Export sales to South America declined 29 percent in 2009 for a total of $2.4 billion compared to 2008. Central America took delivery of $1.3 billion worth of U.S. construction equipment, a 34 percent decrease, and exports to Asia dropped 35 percent in 2009, for a total of $2 billion.

Export business to Europe declined 51 percent to $1.5 billion in 2009, and construction machinery exports to Canada dropped 41 percent for a total of $3.7 billion.

Africa recorded purchases of $986 million worth of U.S. construction equipment, a drop of 29 percent, while exports to Australia/Oceania decreased 46 percent to $962 million for 2009.

The top buyers of U.S.-made construction machinery for 2009 were: (1) Canada – $3.7 billion, down 41 percent; (2) Mexico – $1 billion, down 28 percent; (3) Australia – $922 million, down 47 percent; (4) Chile – $763 million, down 16 percent; (5) Brazil – $513 million, down 29 percent; (6) China – $487 million, up 15 percent; (7) Colombia – $392 million, down 17 percent; (8) Belgium – 360 million, down 48 percent; (9) South Africa – $353 million, down 49 percent; (10) Peru – $319 million, down 20 percent; (11) Saudi Arabia – $238 million, down 44 percent; (12) Singapore – $214 million, down 48 percent; (13) Russia – $209 million, down 58 percent; (14) India – $181 million, up 55 percent; (15) Venezuela – $165 million, down 57 percent. -- Posted by Brian Richesson