The European Equipment Rental Association (ERA) released its 2026 Market Report in mid-October, forecasting modest growth of 1.8% CAGR for European equipment rentals between 2025 and 2027.
Market performance is highly fragmented across top economies: France is projected to contract (-0.7% CAGR) due to weak residential construction and political uncertainty, the UK remains sluggish, while Germany and Southern Europe are expected to see gradual rebounds driven by public infrastructure and renewable energy projects.
Concurrently, trade friction intensified as Chinese OEM LiuGong launched a legal challenge in late October against the UK’s new anti-dumping tariffs on imported excavators, highlighting growing protectionist barriers surrounding construction
Sources: Construction Briefing – European Rental Association (ERA) Market Report (October 13–28, 2026)
Construction News – UK Excavator Anti-Dumping Dispute (October 2026)
PSR Analysis. The ERA’s report confirms that European machinery builders such as Wacker Neuson, Caterpillar, and Komatsu, will find their strongest equipment demand in rental fleet renewals and municipal infrastructure rather than private real estate.
Rental companies (which account for nearly 60% of compact machine purchases in key markets) are heavily favoring low-emission, electric, and smart telematics-equipped machinery to meet European green jobsite mandates.
Meanwhile, the legal trade dispute over excavator tariffs in the UK mirrors broader EU actions under the Industrial Accelerator Act. As trade barriers against non-EU equipment rise, local European manufacturers gain a distinct procurement advantage for public sector tenders across Western Europe.PSR
