The construction equipment industry is closely tied to the economy and is one of the important bellwethers of global macroeconomic performance. Affected by fluctuations in the world economy, the global and Chinese construction equipment industries have also undergone changes and adjustments over the past two years. In 2013, the scale of the global and Chinese construction equipment industries continued to contract. The total sales of the global Top 50 construction equipment manufacturers in 2013 amounted to US$178.631 billion, significantly lower than the 2011 and 2012 levels and down 10.57% from 2012; operating profit was US$14.489 billion, equivalent only to the 2010 level.

In the newly released "Global Top 50 Construction Equipment Manufacturers" ranking, sales of 25 companies declined to varying degrees, with the largest drop approaching 35%; meanwhile, operating profit of 19 companies fell, with 8 companies seeing declines of more than 50%.

Although performance generally declined, on the new Global Top 50 Construction Equipment Manufacturers ranking, the top two positions are still held by the US company Caterpillar and the Japanese company Komatsu; Sweden's Volvo Construction Equipment ranked third.

Compared with other regions of the world, China's construction equipment industry has experienced greater fluctuations. On the Top 50 ranking, the number of Chinese companies remains 11, the highest of any country. Among them, XCMG Group, Zoomlion and Sany Heavy Industry are in the top 10; in addition, LiuGong, Lonking, Sinomach Heavy Industry and other companies also made the list. Of the 11 companies, 6 achieved sales growth over the previous year, and 4 increased operating profit.

Against the backdrop of no substantive improvement in the global economy and industry to date and continued volatility in China's economy, Chinese construction equipment manufacturers represented by XCMG, Zoomlion, Sany Heavy Industry and LiuGong have accelerated transformation and upgrading, pursued solid expansion, streamlined organizations and processes, strictly controlled costs, achieved business model innovation, promoted channel improvement and supply chain integration, strengthened brand building, and enhanced their sense of crisis, competition and innovation, comprehensively upgrading their overall competitiveness and profitability. In this way, they have further consolidated the position of Chinese companies in the global industry and strengthened the presence and influence of Chinese brands worldwide.