China's construction machinery industry continued to maintain strong growth momentum in June, with excavator exports reaching a record monthly high and domestic demand continuing to rise.

According to data from the China Construction Machinery Association, excavator sales reached 25,445 units in June 2026, up 35.3% year on year. Of these, domestic sales totaled 10,898 units, an increase of 33.9%, while exports reached 14,547 units, up 36.4%, setting a record for the highest monthly export volume in history.

Strong performance was not limited to excavators. Loader sales reached 15,002 units in June, up 24.9% year on year, while cumulative sales for the first half of the year reached 82,052 units, an increase of 26.7%. For both product categories, export growth outpaced domestic sales growth.

Industry analysts attribute this continued growth to the combined effect of multiple factors. The equipment replacement cycle is at its peak, with equipment sold during the sales boom from 2016 to 2018 now approaching the end of its economic service life. Meanwhile, 2026, the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, has seen the launch of a number of major infrastructure projects—including the Yarlung Tsangpo hydropower project, new railways, and the construction of 300,000 kilometers of rural roads—which have generated substantial equipment orders.

Export markets have also performed strongly. In May alone, excavator export value reached approximately US$1.21 billion, up 31.6% year on year. Africa and Latin America became the fastest-growing export destinations, with export value surging by 58% and 81%, respectively. Notably, approximately 75% of excavator demand in Africa comes from the mining sector, making the region a new growth engine for Chinese machinery exports.

The electrification trend is also accelerating. In June, electric loaders accounted for 60.19% of total domestic loader sales, with sales reaching 4,215 units, reflecting an accelerating transition from diesel-powered to battery-powered equipment. The China Construction Machinery Association expects full-year sales of electric loaders to exceed 50,000 units in 2026.

Given the strong momentum in domestic equipment replacement demand and overseas market expansion, with no signs of slowing, the industry is expected to maintain steady growth in the second half of the year.

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