The 14th edition of the ‘Access Equipment Market Report UK 2022-2026’ has been published by AMA Research. The report represents an informed and up-to-date review of the UK market for access equipment, analysing market size, trends and influences, market prospects, major suppliers and key distribution channels.

The access equipment market declined sharply in 2020 due to the disruption to construction activity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic but recovered more quickly than expected in 2021, returning to just below its 2019 market value.

The rapid return to growth in construction activity was coupled with price rises triggered by increases in prices of key commodities, such as aluminium and steel, as well as supply chain disruption and material shortages.

Whilst the non-powered access market is a mature one, with little scope for product development or innovation, the powered access market is more dynamic, with a steady flow of new technologies and products incorporating value-added features. In addition, safety concerns regarding the use of ladders are leading to migration to low level powered access products. Consequently, the powered access market tends to experience higher levels of growth than the non-powered segment.

MEWPs represent by far the larger segment of the access equipment market and key to the performance of the MEWP market, and therefore of the access equipment market overall, is the level of demand from the rental sector, which accounts for the bulk of MEWP purchases.

Investment by rental companies has been encouraged by a steady flow of new product releases, for example all-electric machines or machines with improved engine efficiency, leading hire companies to renew their fleets by retiring and disposing of aging equipment and purchasing new models in order to maintain up-to-date fleets. However, future investment may be inhibited by rising prices and interest rates.

Growth will be significantly hampered through 2023 by the current adverse economic climate with weak growth and rapidly rising prices and interest rates. In addition, shortages of skilled tradesmen and of key materials and products may act as a dampener on construction output, In the longer term, however, the access equipment market is expected to return to growth of around 3% per annum, supported by demand from the construction industry, with key sectors such as housebuilding, infrastructure (mostly transport, energy, such as onshore wind, and telecoms), and warehousing being of particular importance.

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Key Issues Covered in the Report

  • The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent recovery on the access equipment industry.
  • Economic constraints and how labour shortages and materials shortages arising from supply chain disruption will affect different sectors of the industry.
  • The influence of technological developments as a driver of market growth.
  • The impact of legislation and carbon reduction policies in stimulating new product development in the powered access market.
  • The importance of the powered access hire sector as key to the overall performance of the access equipment market

Areas of Particular Interest

  • Investment in powered access hire fleets has been encouraged by low interest rates and easy finance but this is now under threat from rising rates.
  • Carbon reduction measures are driving change in the powered access sector, with switching from diesel to electric machines and improvements in emission reduction and engine efficiency.
  • Shortage of scaffolders, particularly in the wake of Brexit, is triggering increased interest in system scaffolding.
  • The post-Grenfell remediation of unsafe cladding is likely to be a significant driver of demand for access equipment.
  • A number of commodities of particular significance to the access equipment industry – aluminium for ladders, steel for scaffolding, lithium for batteries – have risen sharply and are likely to remain well above pre-2020 levels. 

The Access Equipment Market Report – UK 2022-2026 is available now and can be ordered here.

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