JCB is by far the top-selling brand of agricultural telescopic handlers (telehandler) in the UK.
That’s according to data from the UK-based AEA (Agricultural Engineers Association).
It has released sales figures for 2017. Why, you might ask, are we revealing the brand-by-brand figures for 2017 (rather than 2018)? Official bodies are not permitted to release such data due to EU competition regulations until a full 12 months have elapsed.
The data clearly shows that JCB is in a dominant position in the market. In 2017, it sold (registered) 1,748 new (agricultural) telehandlers, accounting for a whopping 52% of the overall market.
Next up (but with a significant gap in between) was Merlo. It sold (registered) 490 new (agricultural) telehandlers, accounting for 15% of the overall market.
In third position (but with a sales tally very close to that of Merlo) was Manitou. It sold (registered) 463 new (agricultural) telehandlers (14% of the overall market).
The ‘others’ category accounted for 635 sales (19%). In all, 3,336 new agricultural telehandlers were sold (registered) in the UK during 2017.
- JCB: 1,748 units (52%);
- Merlo: 490 units (15%);
- Manitou: 463 units (14%);
- Others: 635 units (19%);
- Total: 3,336 units (100%).
Elsewhere, the AEA recently reported that 12,102 new agricultural tractors were registered in the UK last year (2018).
That figure was approximately 1% higher than the total for 2017. In fact, it was the largest annual figure in four years.
However, as expected, registrations of agricultural tractors (over 50hp) during the month of December were well below the level of the same month a year earlier (2017).
In December 2017, new tractor registrations were inflated by the inclusion of a large number of units being pre-registered in advance of the entry into force of new regulations.
Therefore, the December 2018 total of 849 tractors was 38% down (year-on-year), but otherwise was the highest figure for December since 1994.
Once the impact of the December 2017 registrations is adjusted for, this suggests that the (new tractor) market actually grew by between 5% and 10% during 2018. That’s according to analysis undertaken by the AEA.