Bell Equipment expects growth in most major markets during 2018 with increases of ten to fifteen percent expected.
Europe and Russia has experienced an improvement in all markets. The UK, Norway, Israel, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands have benefitted from renewed investment in infrastructure and construction projects. Russia is experiencing major market developments that have the potential to turn Russia into one of the leading global ADT markets.
The North American ADT market showed some positive signs of a market rebound in the fourth quarter of 2017 and expectations are that the ADT market will show positive growth for 2018. The larger family of trucks - 40 ton and over - continued to dominate the ADT requirements for the North American. The three main business segments; mining, aggregates and construction are all showing signs of some positive recovery, which offers optimism for the next two years in the North American market.
After several years of repressed activity, Australia experienced a significant uptick in demand during 2017. Australia has traditionally always favoured the larger trucks with a focus on the economies of scale providing the highest efficiency. Growth was also evident in New Zealand and Indonesia
The South African distribution business had a better year in 2017 than 2016 but African operations continued to underperform due to low mining activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. However, recovery in commodity pricing and increased mining activity is expected during 2018. African operations should deliver better results in 2018 on the back of improved local sentiment in South Africa following political changes towards the end of 2017 and improved macroeconomic conditions. Source