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AMA Research have
published a new report covering the "Access Equipment Market UK
2008”.The report is comprehensive, informed and up-to-date and
represents an invaluable aid to sales and marketing professionals
involved in the industry. Available to purchase for £625 from
www.amaresearch.co.uk, this report analyses the UK market for
access equipment products and is based on a combination of primary
and secondary research. The report analyses the sector in terms of
market size, key sector trends, product mixes, key suppliers and
distribution channels.
The UK market for
access equipment includes non-powered, powered and specialist
access products with sub-sectors including ladders, scaffolding,
access towers, MEWPs, suspended access and mast climbers. The
market had enjoyed relatively buoyant conditions 2005-07,
benefiting from the growth in the overall construction market,
whilst increasingly stringent product specification criteria
following the introduction of Work at Height Regulations (WAHR) had
boosted the market for replacement and upgrading of access
products.
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However the situation in
2008 has been more difficult with the decline in the new housebuilding
sector particularly affecting “light access” products such as scaffolding
and ladders. In addition, both the domestic and commercial RMI sectors
also began to experience slowdown into H2 2008 again affecting demand for
products such as access towers and MEWPs.
The current prospects for
non-powered access products (ladders, scaffolding, access towers, etc)
remains mixed. In the short-term the non-powered access market is likely
to experience decline of around 13% in value 2008-10 as expectations of
downturn in both new build and RMI work are likely to have a negative
impact on the market. Annual rates of growth of around 4% are currently
predicted to return to the market 2011-12 which is likely to result in
market value for non-powered access of around £125m in 2012.
The experience of specialist
access products and mast climbers is expected to be similar to that of
non-powered access but with demand for mast climbers in particular likely
to be linked to the fortunes of the construction sector. The market for
MEWPs is more difficult to determine due to the influence of the
hire/rental sector in the demand for powered access products. Current
indications are for market decline of 12% 2008-2012, followed by more
positive rates of growth of 5-9% to 2012 when the sector is expected to
achieve value of around £174m. However, a number of factors exist that
could have a more negative influence on the forecast for MEWPs including
the potential for a switch back to non-powered access in the short-term
on a cost basis and the possibility of some generalist plant/tool hire
organisations choosing to exit the powered access sector.
The overall access equipment
market is likely to benefit from returning confidence into the medium
term and achieve growth rates of 5-7% 2011-12, giving market value of
£299m in 2012. However, should the recession, particularly in the
construction sector, prove to be longer and deeper than currently
anticipated these forecasts may prove to be optimistic.
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