This report analyses the market in Italy for crawler dozers, referred to in Italian as “apripisti”, and crawler loaders, called “pale cingolate”. It is an update on the subject last covered in Off-Highway Research’s European Service in February 2011.

The range of crawler dozers now available runs from the smallest, under 100 horsepower models, to those of over 800 horsepower that are manufactured by Caterpillar and Komatsu. In practice, however, the majority of crawler dozers sold in Italy are in the 130-260 horsepower range.

The range of crawler loaders reviewed runs from models of 140 horsepower equipped with a 1.5 m3 bucket, to the larger types of 170-190 horsepower with buckets of 2.0-2.5 m3, and which are used in quarries and large civil engineering projects. There is also a limited demand in Italy for crawler loaders over 200 horsepower.

The role of crawler loaders in Europe has steadily declined in importance during recent years, primarily as a result of the advancing technical development of wheeled loaders and increasing use of the hydraulic excavator/tipper truck combination. The Italian market has been no exception to this trend and has now fallen from a market of great significance to a rump market of only limited volumes.

The findings presented in this report are based on Off-Highway Research’s International Database, and on information collected during an interview programme in Italy conducted in June 2014 with all relevant importers and distributors.