Construction machinery market analysis in Poland and Europe
According to CECE, the European construction equipment manufacturers’ association, construction equipment sales in Europe grew by 4.6% in 2025. A year earlier they fell by 19%, the steepest drop since the 2008–2009 crisis. Poland accounts for 4% of European sales. This brief brings together data on the European and Polish markets, the largest manufacturers, financing, imports and the 2026 outlook. It also explains how Poland’s Recovery Plan (KPO) and the new Central Communication Port (CPK) will affect demand.
The full report on this market in PDF, delivered in 3 business days.
Order the scan01
How big is the construction machinery market in Europe?
According to CECE, construction equipment sales in Europe grew by 4.6% in 2025, after a 19% fall in 2024.
2024 was a very weak year for the industry. Sales fell by 19%, the most since 2008–2009. According to CECE, high interest rates, inflation and a weak housing market were to blame.
The market started to recover in 2025, but unevenly. The first quarter was still down (−8%). The next three quarters all grew: +5%, +12% and +9%.
Road equipment (+12%) and tower cranes (+22%, after a 45% fall in 2024) did best. Earthmoving equipment, the largest segment, was flat (−1%). Heavy earthmoving equipment gained 2%, while compact equipment lost 2%.
By country, Germany (+6%), the UK (+9%) and Spain (+9%) grew. The Nordic countries (+14%) and Benelux (+12%) grew strongly. France was almost flat (+1%) and Italy dipped slightly (−1%). Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, has not yet returned to growth: sales were the same as in 2024.
The sector is large. According to CECE, about 1,200 construction equipment manufacturers operate in Europe. Together they have revenues of about €59 bn and employ about 300,000 people.
CECE does not publish free data on unit sales. Off-Highway Research has these figures, but only in paid databases, so we do not quote them.
| Segment | Change 2025 y/y |
|---|---|
| All construction equipment | +4.6% |
| Earthmoving equipment | −1% |
| of which heavy | +2% |
| of which compact | −2% |
| Road equipment | +12% |
| Concrete equipment | −3% |
| Tower cranes | +22% |
| Hydraulic attachments | +9% |
| Country or region | Change 2025 y/y |
|---|---|
| Germany | +6% |
| United Kingdom | +9% |
| France | +1% |
| Italy | −1% |
| Spain | +9% |
| Nordic countries | +14% |
| Benelux | +12% |
| Central and Eastern Europe | 0% |
02
Who leads the construction machinery market globally and in Europe?
According to KHL’s Yellow Table 2026, Caterpillar led the market in 2025, ahead of Komatsu and XCMG. The top 50 manufacturers sold equipment worth US$246.6 bn, 3.8% more than a year earlier. This is a record for the ranking.
The Yellow Table is an annual ranking of the world’s 50 largest construction equipment manufacturers. It also covers mining equipment. The 2025 top ten includes two companies each from the USA, Japan and China, and four from Europe.
The highest-ranked European company is Liebherr (5th). It is followed by Volvo Construction Equipment (7th), JCB (9th) and Sandvik (10th). Sandvik closes the top ten with sales of US$6.9 bn. Japan’s Kato Works is 50th with sales of US$355 m.
XCMG reported 2025 sales of about US$14.2 bn, or 5.8% of the top 50’s total.
There is no Polish manufacturer in the ranking.
| # | Manufacturer | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caterpillar | USA |
| 2 | Komatsu | Japan |
| 3 | XCMG | China |
| 4 | John Deere | USA |
| 5 | Liebherr | Germany/Switzerland |
| 6 | Sany | China |
| 7 | Volvo Construction Equipment | Sweden |
| 8 | Hitachi Construction Machinery | Japan |
| 9 | JCB | United Kingdom |
| 10 | Sandvik | Sweden |
Market shares of individual companies (other than XCMG) are not given, as the full KHL table is paywalled.
03
How big is the construction machinery market in Poland?
According to CECE, Poland accounted for 4% of construction equipment sales in Europe in 2025, down from 5% in 2024. This puts it level with the Netherlands and Spain.
In 2024 Poland was Europe’s sixth-largest market, behind Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Turkey. It also bucked the European trend. While earthmoving equipment sales fell sharply across Europe, they grew by 11% in Poland. In road equipment, Poland was Europe’s fourth-largest market and the only major one to grow (+6%). The reason was investment in roads and railways, partly funded by the EU (CECE, 2025).
In 2025 this lead disappeared. Sales in Central and Eastern Europe were flat on 2024, and earthmoving equipment fell by 4%. Poland’s share of the European market slipped from 5% to 4% (CECE, 2026).
Machinery demand follows construction. According to Statistics Poland (GUS), construction output fell by 7.7% in 2024 and grew by only 0.7% in 2025. In 2025 specialised construction work grew (+10.4%), while civil engineering (−3.1%) and building construction (−2.1%) declined.
Free sources do not show how many machines were sold in Poland after 2021. The best available measures of market value are leasing data (section 04) and imports (section 05).
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Poland’s share of European construction equipment sales, 2024 | 5% |
| Poland’s share of European construction equipment sales, 2025 | 4% |
| Change in earthmoving equipment sales in Poland, 2024 | +11% |
| Change in road equipment sales in Poland, 2024 | +6% |
| Construction output in Poland, 2024 | −7.7% |
| Construction output in Poland, 2025 | +0.7% |
| Construction machinery financed by leasing, 2025 | PLN 4.8 bn |
For foreign suppliers: Poland is a mid-sized European market, but one driven by public infrastructure more than housing. Timing your entry to the infrastructure cycle matters more than the overall market size.
04
How do companies in Poland finance construction machinery?
According to the Polish Leasing Association (ZPL), leasing companies financed construction machinery worth PLN 4.8 bn in 2025, 9.8% less than in 2024. In H1 2026 the value rose by 3.4% y/y to PLN 2.5 bn.
Leasing and leasing loans are the main way to finance construction machinery in Poland. That makes ZPL data a good guide to what is happening in the market.
In 2024 financing of construction machinery grew by 21.6% to PLN 5.3 bn. In 2025 it fell by 9.8% to PLN 4.8 bn. ZPL attributes the fall to weaker infrastructure construction and a slowdown in residential projects at the turn of 2024 and 2025.
In H1 2026 financing grew by 3.4% y/y to PLN 2.5 bn. ZPL called this the start of a recovery in construction machinery.
Construction machinery accounts for about 18% of all machinery financed by leasing companies. In 2025 the industry financed machinery worth PLN 26.7 bn, including PLN 7.5 bn of agricultural machinery.
Many machines go to rental companies. According to CECE, rental and financing spread over time are becoming more important, as contractors prefer to match equipment costs to the timeline of each project.
| Period | Value (PLN bn) | Change y/y |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5.3 | +21.6% |
| 2025 | 4.8 | −9.8% |
| H1 2026 | 2.5 | +3.4% |
For dealers: point-of-sale finance through a Polish leasing partner is close to standard. Plan for it before you set up distribution.
05
How much construction machinery does Poland import and export?
According to Eurostat data, Poland imported earthmoving machinery (HS 8429) worth US$1,215.7 m in 2025 and exported US$139.2 m.
HS 8429 covers self-propelled bulldozers, graders, scrapers, excavators, loaders, tamping machines and road rollers. It is the largest group of construction machinery in trade.
Imports have grown every year since 2022. They were US$957.7 m in 2022 and US$1,215.7 m in 2025, 27% more. Over the same period exports fell from US$239.9 m to US$139.2 m.
The biggest change concerns China. In 2022 it supplied 9.5% of imports. In 2025 it supplied 18.6%, or US$226.0 m. In 2025 China was the second-largest supplier, just behind Germany (20.9%). The UK’s share fell from 15.4% to 13.8%.
Poland also imports other construction machinery. In 2025 imports under HS 8430 (including pile drivers, boring and snow-clearing machinery) were US$135.6 m. Imports under HS 8474 (including crushers, screens and concrete mixers) were US$275.7 m.
Ukraine was the largest buyer of Polish HS 8429 exports in 2025 (18.7%), followed by Germany (12.4%) and Czechia (8.8%).
| Year | Imports | Exports |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 957.7 | 239.9 |
| 2023 | 1,066.5 | 162.7 |
| 2024 | 1,176.7 | 119.4 |
| 2025 | 1,215.7 | 139.2 |
| Country | 2022 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 22.8 | 20.9 |
| China | 9.5 | 18.6 |
| United Kingdom | 15.4 | 13.8 |
| France | 9.0 | 9.3 |
| Sweden | 7.6 | 7.2 |
| Netherlands | 3.6 | 5.4 |
| Japan | 5.2 | 5.1 |
For non-Chinese suppliers: Chinese brands doubled their share of Polish imports in three years. Expect price pressure, especially in compact and mid-size equipment.
06
How will KPO funding and the CPK project affect demand for construction machinery?
According to Statistics Poland (GUS), output at companies building roads, railways and other civil engineering works grew by 29.0% y/y in August 2026. The rise coincides with the 31 August 2026 deadline for projects under Poland’s Recovery Plan (KPO). The next source of demand is the Central Communication Port (CPK), whose spending the government plans to peak in 2027–2030.
Infrastructure is back. In 2025 civil engineering output fell by 3.1% (GUS). In 2026 the trend reversed. In January–August 2026 the segment grew by 1.6%, and in August alone by 29.0% y/y. Investment work grew by 9.7% in the first eight months of 2026. Building construction is still falling (−6.2% in January–August).
KPO. EU countries had to meet all milestones and targets of their recovery plans by 31 August 2026. The European Commission must make the final payments by 31 December 2026. For the machinery market this means a peak in KPO-funded work in 2026, followed by its end. After that, demand for infrastructure work will rely on EU cohesion funds for 2021–2027 and national budgets.
CPK. In December 2024 the Polish government adopted the investment programme for the Central Communication Port for 2024–2032. Total funding is planned at PLN 131.7 bn (in constant prices). Spending rises from PLN 14.1 bn in 2026 to PLN 23.7 bn in 2028. In 2027–2030 it is planned to exceed PLN 20 bn a year. The programme covers a new airport and railway lines, including the Warsaw – CPK – Łódź high-speed line.
What this means for the machinery market. Demand is shifting towards heavy earthmoving and road equipment. For rental companies and dealers, large multi-year contracts will matter most.
| Year | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spending (PLN bn) | 2.6 | 7.2 | 14.1 | 20.5 | 23.7 | 22.5 | 20.6 | 14.9 | 5.7 | 131.7 |
For foreign manufacturers and dealers: the CPK and rail pipeline gives several years of visible demand for heavy equipment. Local service capacity and parts availability will decide who wins fleet orders from the main contractors.
07
What are the trends in the construction machinery market?
According to CECE’s 2026 report, the key trends are electrification of compact equipment, automation in response to operator shortages, and growing competition from Chinese manufacturers.
Electrification. Electric drives work best in smaller machines: mini excavators, compact loaders and site vehicles. According to CECE, electrification of this equipment gained momentum in 2025, driven by emissions rules and investors’ ESG requirements. The higher purchase price is the main barrier, and financing spread over time helps to lower it. Environmental criteria are also increasingly built into tenders.
Emission standards. Combustion engines in construction machinery in the EU must meet the Stage V standard under Regulation (EU) 2016/1628. This raises the cost of new machines and adds value to service from authorised dealers.
Automation. Construction sites are short of operators and skilled workers. According to CECE, contractors are therefore buying more productive, automation-ready machines and digital fleet management systems.
Competition from China. CECE says competition from China is growing in many markets. In Poland this shows in import data: China’s share of earthmoving machinery imports doubled between 2022 and 2025 (section 05).
08
What is the forecast for construction machinery in Poland and Europe?
According to CECE, the European construction equipment market has bottomed out and may see single-digit growth in 2026. In Poland, the recovery shows in ZPL data for H1 2026 (+3.4%) and GUS data for August 2026 (+6.7% construction output y/y).
In its February 2026 report, CECE says the market has “likely bottomed out”. Growth in 2026 is expected to be moderate. Infrastructure investment, especially in Germany, will be the main driver. Construction activity in Europe is expected to grow by about 2–2.5% in 2026. In CECE’s business climate survey from early 2026, no group of manufacturers expected sales to fall.
There are risks too. European exports of machinery to the USA fell by almost 30% in 2025 because of tariffs. Competition from China is growing, and EU regulation is raising manufacturers’ costs.
In Poland, the 2026 data are better than in 2025. Financing of construction machinery by leasing companies grew by 3.4% in H1 2026. Construction output grew by 6.7% y/y in August 2026, and by 4.3% after seasonal adjustment. Infrastructure work is growing fastest. Building construction is still weakening.
| Indicator | Period | Change y/y |
|---|---|---|
| Construction machinery financed by leasing | H1 2026 | +3.4% |
| Construction output | August 2026 | +6.7% |
| Civil engineering | August 2026 | +29.0% |
| Building construction | August 2026 | −19.6% |
| Investment work | January–August 2026 | +9.7% |
MarketHub expert comment
“For a dealer, rental company or parts manufacturer, these figures say one thing: demand in Poland is coming back, but only in infrastructure, while building construction is still slowing. It makes sense to shift your offer, fleet and parts stock towards earthmoving and road equipment for rail, road and CPK contracts. Chinese machines already make up almost a fifth of imports, so suppliers of European or Japanese brands should compete on service, parts availability and financing, not on price alone.”
Author: Marcin Rogowski · Updated by: Rafał Wiśniewski, 17 October 2026
Sources:
Construction machinery market in Poland
A ready-made PDF report from Market Scan by MarketHub: market size, key players, trends and data sources. We email it to you within 3 business days after payment.
Want to use this brief?
You can quote the data if you name the source and, where possible, link to our website. Use this credit line:
Source: MarketHub, “Construction machinery market analysis in Poland and Europe”, markethub.pl, updated 10.2026