Latest Industry News and Market Trends of Second-hand Construction Equipment in 2026
1. The export volume has exceeded the domestic sales volume of new machines. In 2024, the total domestic export of second-hand excavators surpassed the domestic sales volume of new machines, officially entering the era of exporting used equipment; in 2025, the export of second-hand excavators was approximately 190,000 units, with a year-on-year increase of over 55%. Institutions predict that the export growth rate for the entire year of 2026 will still remain above 15%. Countries along the Belt and Road Initiative such as Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Myanmar are the main purchasing regions. Local infrastructure, mining, and farmland renovation projects have purchased a large number of domestically refurbished second-hand machines, with outstanding cost-performance advantages.
2. Changsha has established a national re-manufacturing export base, and a large number of equipment are being shipped in batches.
The Hunan Free Trade Zone Changsha Construction Machinery Re-manufacturing Base regularly conducts comprehensive refurbishment of Sany, XCMG, ZYR, and Shenhua Smart Second-hand Excavators. After original factory refurbishment and quality inspection certification, they are batched for customs declaration and exported; Sany and ZYR have set up industrial parks in Hainan, relying on deep-water ports to carry out maintenance, modification, and export of second-hand equipment, thus forming a complete chain of inland refurbishment and port export.
3. Current situation of overseas markets
The spot inventory of high-quality second-hand excavators in Europe and the United States has been declining for eight consecutive months, with a large amount of equipment flowing into rental fleets, and the prices of second-hand machines in overseas markets fluctuating slightly; the demand for small and medium-sized excavators overseas is stable, and cross-border orders for small and medium-sized second-hand excavators from Kubota and Hitachi are sufficient.
