A Crawler Loader is a piece of mobile construction equipment used to load materials; it’s used primarily in tough, off-road terrain. It’s similar to a wheel loader, except it has treads instead of wheels.
A Crawler Excavator is a self-propelled crawler mounted on heavy equipment that is designed to dig or move large objects. The main function of a Crawler Excavator is to dig holes or trenches for construction related activities.
4,100 units is the estimate by Power Systems Research of the number of Crawlers to be produced in North America (United States and Mexico) in 2022.
This information comes from industry interviews and from two proprietary databases maintained by Power Systems Research: EnginLink™ , which provides information on engines, and OE Link™, a database of equipment manufacturers.
Exports: Collectively, up to 30% worldwide
Market Share: With combined plant totals of 52%, Cat leads in production of Crawlers in North America. In second place is Deere with 30.5%, and third is Case, with 11%.
Trends: In 2021, production of Crawlers in North America (US) decreased 4.8%. However, production is expected to gain near 3% in 2022, compared to 2021. The carryover decline into 2021 was mostly due to COVID-19 related factors such as plant shutdowns, parts availability and lack of workforce.
The market significantly dropped during the Spring of 2021, caused by low oil prices and a lull in mining and construction projects.
A few years ago, construction spending in the United States was above normal yearly levels, according to a new analysis of federal data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Construction and mining activities increased resulting in a substantial gain for 2018.
Recent decreases in production are attributed to several trends: public sector construction activity continues to decline while private sector demand for new construction continues to strengthen.
Even though sales dropped considerably in 2020 and 2021, production is expected to gain up to 15% by 2025, primarily influenced by the outlook for construction, driven by infrastructure spending, and mining related activities. PSR
Carol Turner Is Senior Analyst, Global Operations, at Power Systems Research
