With hopes that the Trump administration will make a serious investment in U.S. infrastructure and scattered economic indicators hinting at an uptick in construction, equipment manufacturers are looking to call attention to the latest advancements in construction technology at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG trade show. As the crowds descend on the triennial construction-equipment trade show in Las Vegas on March 7-11, expect to see a mix of technology-laden machines demonstrating the virtues of telematics and connectivity next to moderately priced iron for the rental market.
ENR’s Fourth Quarterly Cost Report noted that industry analysts are predicting a modest increase in construction-equipment sales in 2017, with some confident of at least 4% growth. But with many larger manufacturers digging themselves out of a year of weak sales, there’s a question of whether customers are looking to buy. “A lot of people are looking to this new administration for some government investment in construction,” says Frank Manfredi, publisher of the Machinery Outlook newsletter. “But without a clear indication of what will be in this infrastructure spending, the market is going sideways.”