This report concerns the market in Germany for hydraulic crawler excavators. They are defined as machines capable of turning through 360 degrees, which are mounted on steel tracks, with service weights ranging from 6 to over 600 tonnes; Off-Highway Research defines machines up to 6 tonnes as mini excavators, which are excluded from this report. Hydraulic excavators with a weight classification of between 6 to 12 tonnes are referred to as ‘midi’ or ‘compact’ excavators. Midi excavators typically feature a special design to minimise the tail swing and make the machines useful on confined job sites. All these are included in the report's definition of the hydraulic excavator.

The findings presented in this report are based on an extensive interview programme undertaken with all major manufacturers and importers in Germany during October 2019, and on Off-Highway Research’s International Database Service.