17.04.2018

Good start for Haulotte

Haulotte has announced nine percent growth in first quarter revenues and is maintaining its 10 percent forecast for the full year.

Total revenues in the quarter were €139.7 million, up nine percent on last year, driven by ongoing improvement in the European market, where sales grew by were up nine percent, while sales in the Asia Pacific region increased 20 percent mainly due to China and the Middle East.

Sales of aerial lifts continued to improve in North America, with five percent growth, offset by shrinking scaffold sales which dropped 10 percent, leaving the region down one percent in total. South America however showed signs of a long awaited bounce back, improving five percent, albeit from a low base.

Overall, new equipment sales were up 10 percent on the same period last year, while Services improved four percent and the rental business declined one percent.

Vertikal Comment

Not a bad start to the first quarter reporting season, most notable is the ongoing fall in scaffold sales in the USA. This typically happens in a strong market where more people ‘trade up’ to powered access, with some of them switching back to scaffold when times are lean.

It will be interesting to see how these numbers compare with the other major manufacturers and the impact on Haulotte's bottom line.