In June this year, China’s excavator sales amounted to 25,445 units, up 35.3 percent year on year, as announced by China-based Construction Machinery and Equipment (CME).
In particular, in June, excavator sales in the Chinese domestic market amounted to 10,898 units, increasing by 33.9 percent year on year, while excavator sales to the export markets totaled 14,547 units, up 36.4 percent year on year.
In the January-June period this year, China’s excavator sales totaled 152,320 units, up 26.4 percent year on year. In the given period, excavator sales in the Chinese domestic market amounted to 79,025 units, increasing by 20.4 percent year on year, while excavator sales to the export markets totaled 73,295 units, up 33.5 percent year on year.
In the first six months this year, the excavator market showed a pattern of export growth outpacing domestic demand, with exports serving as the primary growth driver.
The machinery sector has become among the most important for the steel sector amid the shifting of demand from real estate to manufacturing and high-end equipment. In 2025, machinery manufacturing was a major driver of Chinese steel demand, accounting for approximately 30-35 percent of total steel consumption. The manufacturing industry (including machinery, automotive and shipbuilding) overall consumed 50 percent of China's steel in 2024 and around 51 percent in 2025.
