In the first three quarters of 2024, the production volume of excavator loaders in Russia increased by 2.2 times compared to the same period in 2023, with a total of 488 units produced during the first nine months. Despite a decline in imports in 2024, the market share of domestic Russian companies rose from 3% to 6% (based on data for the first half of the year). In 2022, the market share of domestically produced equipment stood at 14%.
Following the initiation of the special military operation, the production of UMG (formerly Terex) excavator loaders at the Tver Excavator Plant was temporarily suspended due to a shortage of imported components. It took approximately one and a half years to resolve the issue of sourcing substitute components. Production resumed successfully using alternative parts in the fourth quarter of 2023. During the first three quarters of 2024, TVEX assembled 188 units. Meanwhile, ElAZ significantly increased its output, producing 229 localized excavator loaders (formerly Cukurova Makina) from January to September 2024, representing an 80% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Production Statistics of Excavator-Loader Machines in Russia for the First Three Quarters of 2022-2024
Production and Import Statistics of Excavator-Loader Machines in Russia (2022-2024)
The Cherepovets Foundry and Mechanical Plant, which produces excavator-loaders under license from the Belarusian company Dorelektromash, experienced an 11% decline in output, assembling a total of 71 units during the first three quarters of 2024. The majority of these machines were attachments for MTZ-82 agricultural tractors. Previously, tractor-based special chassis models had constituted a significant portion of the production plan.
Regarding the new excavator-loader manufacturer, AGB Construction Machinery in the Moscow region, official statistics have yet to be released. This project was initiated in 2022 to produce a model similar to the JCB 3CX Super. According to factory representatives, the production of metal structures has been fully localized, utilizing imported components, with sales commencing in 2023. The expected annual output is approximately 50 units.
Import Situation of Excavator-Loaders
The import volume of excavator-loaders has slightly decreased: 3,930 units were imported in the first half of 2024, representing a 5% drop compared to the same period in 2023. In 2023, the import volume surged by 2.5 times compared to the same period in 2022 (4,139 units). Since 2022, Western brands that once dominated the Russian market have been largely replaced by Chinese brands, many of which are relatively unknown in Russia. The top five importers in the first half of 2024 were:
1. Shanmon - 567 units (up 68%)
2. Liugong - 393 units (up 3 times)
3. Sany - 283 units (up 94 times)
4. LGCE - 176 units (no imports in the first half of 2023)
5. XCMG - 160 units (up 6.4 times)
Additionally, 945 units of excavator-loaders from other lesser-known Chinese brands were declared. Indian brands made their debut in the Russian market in 2022. In the first half of 2023, the import volume of Indian brands increased to 500 units. However, the results for the first half of 2024 were unexpectedly low, with only 56 units of Amir brand and 54 units of ACE brand machines imported.
Turkish brands maintained a relatively high import volume, albeit with a decline: Hidromek imported 358 units (down 19%), Cukurova imported 321 units (down 33%), and MST imported 211 units (down 10%). Among Western brands, JCB and Case stood out, importing 214 and 155 units respectively. In the first six months of 2024, 16 used excavator-loaders were declared, compared to 44 in the same period of 2023.
Import Statistics of Excavator-Loader Machines in Russia: 2022 to the First Half of 2024
A Historical Overview of the Russian Excavator-Loader Market
In reviewing the Russian market for excavator-loaders, it is important to note that during the 1990s and 2000s, the primary demand was for domestically produced equipment based on agricultural tractor chassis (such as MTZ, YuMZ, LTZ, and VTZ). During this period, numerous enterprises were involved in the production of such machines, including the Saransk Excavator Plant (SAREX), ZLATEX, Inter-Don, ElAZ, Donetsk Excavator Plant, LEX, Omsktransmash, ChZKM, among others. At the peak of the construction boom in 2007 and 2008, these manufacturers collectively produced approximately 2,500 units annually.
By the 2010s, the production of excavators based on agricultural tractor chassis had largely ceased. Today, all the aforementioned factories have discontinued the production of such excavators for various reasons-some have gone bankrupt, while others have shifted focus to other product lines. In the 1990s and early 2000s, several Russian manufacturers attempted to develop excavator-loaders based on self-designed dedicated tractor chassis. Unfortunately, these efforts did not achieve mass production. The only viable business model that emerged was the introduction and localization of foreign excavator-loader models.
Despite access to more modern and advanced machinery, domestic Russian enterprises have yet to match the peak production levels observed during the prosperous years of the 2000s.