Machinery awaits shipment for export at Lianyungang Port in East China's Jiangsu Province on September 27, 2026. Photo: VCG

China's excavator exports exceeded domestic sales in the first eight months of the year, with exports jumping 31.8 percent year-on-year, far outpacing domestic sales growth, CCTV News reported on Tuesday, citing the data from the China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA).

In the first eight months of 2026, a total of 191,557 excavators were sold, up 24.2 percent year on year. Of these, domestic sales reached 94,619 units, up 17.4 percent year on year, while exports totaled 96,938 units, up 31.8 percent year on year, according to CCMA.

In yuan-denominated terms, exports were valued at 41.21 billion yuan ($6.14 billion) in August, up 12.5 percent year on year, while export value for the first eight months totaled 321.575 billion yuan, up 16.1 percent year on year, CCMA said, citing the customs data. 

The strong export data are also reflected in the performance of Chinese construction machinery makers at overseas events and in export markets, according to the media report.

Taking the mini excavator business at the Kunshan Lighthouse Factory as an example, the proportion of products shipped to European and US markets has risen noticeably this year, with sales revenue for related products in Europe and the US rising more than 50 percent year-on-year from January to August, according to the information shared by Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany with the Global Times on Tuesday. 

On the production side, every mini excavator undergoes 94 processes and completes appearance and performance testing before rolling off the production line. The current production pace is one unit every 12 minutes, according to Sany. 

XCMG, a Chinese heavy machinery manufacturer, said on July 27 that it had shipped nearly 300 crawler cranes in a single batch, setting a regional record and marking the largest single order of crawler cranes in Southeast Asia. The shipment included flagship models such as the XGC110A and XLC450, which will be used in several major infrastructure projects across the region.  

Zoomlion said on June 9 that dozens of ZT125G mining dump trucks had been fully assembled and shipped to Peru. The vehicles will be deployed at an open-pit gold mine in northern Peru, supporting operations ranging from overburden stripping to ore transport. The shipment marks a further expansion of Zoomlion's presence in South America's key gold-producing region, the company said.  

Some Chinese companies also highlighted the strong local-market reception for customized products.

A new electric wheeled excavator developed specifically for Europe's environmental requirements and range needs has performed particularly well in Europe this year. Equipped with a standard 400-kWh battery pack, it can operate for 10 to 12 hours on a single charge, while offering zero emissions and low noise during operation, Li Xiaobo, Vice Dean of the Electrification R&D Institute at SANY Heavy Industry's Heavy Machinery Division, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The strong overseas performance of China's excavator sector is driven by robust recovery in global demand and the industry's inherent competitive strengths, Hu Qimu, professor at the Maritime Silk Road Institute of Huaqiao University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

From the global demand perspective, robust mining activity, continued urbanization and infrastructure investment across Asia, Africa and Latin America have sustained strong demand for medium- and large-sized excavators, he said. 

Meanwhile, distributors in European and US markets are going through an inventory restocking cycle, and the construction of AI data centers has fueled a recovery in manufacturing and boosted demand for small-sized construction equipment, he added. 

China Merchants Securities noted that overseas performance beat expectations due to continued strength in emerging markets and a clear recovery in developed-market demand, domestic news outlet the Paper reported on September 11. 

Orient Securities previously analyzed that China's excavator exports are dominated by large-tonnage excavators mainly used in mining scenarios, and rising global commodity prices are expected to drive mining development in relevant countries, thereby supporting growth in China's excavator exports, the media report said.