This report examines the market for mobile cranes in Italy, and is an update of the report published as part of Off-Highway Research’s European Service in December 2017. It assesses the current trends in the market, examines the manufacturers and suppliers, and forecasts the Italian market over the next five years. The lift capacity range reviewed in this report encompasses small rough terrain cranes of 25 tonnes, to large all terrain cranes which are capable of lifting 1,200 tonnes.

The findings presented in the report are based on Off-Highway Research’s interview programmes undertaken in Italy in October 2021 with the leading manufacturers, importers and distributors.

This report excludes the market for conventional and self-erecting tower cranes. Neither does it cover the market for small, under 8.0 tonne industrial cranes, truck loaders, which are employed in the delivery of building materials, or any type of overhead travelling cranes.

The scope of this report therefore covers four basic types of mobile crane:

All Terrain Cranes: These vary in size from 20 to 1,200 tonnes capacity. They are designed to have the on-highway mobility of a truck-mounted crane but with the ability to operate on rough terrain. All terrain cranes are built on carriers with up to nine axles, mostly with all-wheel drive and steer, and have large, high-flotation tyres for manoeuvrability off-road.

Crawler Cranes: These machines are built on crawler chassis and are generally fitted with lattice booms, although the telescopic boom variant is gaining popularity. They are suitable for soft ground conditions, but are also preferred for their greater lift capacity when mobility is not a priority on site. Crawler cranes are also able to pick and carry loads, whereas wheeled cranes usually have to be stationary with outriggers deployed when lifting.

Rough Terrain Cranes: Although their popularity has waned in other European markets, these machines remain popular in Italy. They are designed for use on offhighway sites to cope with soft, uneven ground conditions. They have high ground clearance and large, high flotation tyres, but they lack the on-road mobility of all terrain cranes. These cranes have two axles with all-wheel steer and drive.

Truck-Mounted Cranes: These are built on a purpose-made road-going carrier or a commercial truck which is modified in the manufacturers’ premises before the crane upper structure is mounted. The guiding principle for a truck crane is to meet the weight limit of 12 tonnes per axle, and to achieve a road speed of up to 80 kilometres per hour. While this gives them high mobility between sites, truck-mounted cranes are not able to operate off-road.

There is also a brief segment analysing the market for industrial cranes of 8.0 tonnes and over. These machines, which can be fitted with either telescopic or lattice booms, are often referred to as yard cranes. Despite a decline in sales which began in the late 1990s, they have not died away and have more recently retained their utility thanks to electrification. They are low priced, general material handling cranes designed for work in factories, storage yards and docks where their low profile and compact size enable them to operate in confined spaces. Due to their slow travel speeds, certain models are permitted to drive on roads without elaborate braking,  lighting or suspension systems.