Optimism about an improving economy and more infrastructure-friendly regulatory policies from Washington lifted U.S. construction equipment sales in 2017, a trend that industry observers expect will continue through next year.
Steve Tam, vice president of ACT Research, calls the estimated overall 6.5% increase in sales “better than the best expectations,” despite the absence of the Trump administration’s promised infrastructure bill. Even so, Tam adds, “money is flowing out there, with a lot of funding activity at the state level.”