While Caterpillar has the highest sales volume on the resale and auction markets, several other large manufacturers still retain a significant share of the market.
Key Takeaways for Decision Makers
CONTRACTOR: Caterpillar dozers are the most prevalent in the resale and auction markets in 2015, especially in the larger size classes.
Through the first quarter of 2015, Caterpillar crawler dozers control the majority of both resale and auction markets as Deere, Komatsu, and Case chip away at their lead. We split the data into two categories, based on the type of crawler. Low Ground Compaction (LGP) crawler dozers have a wide track that functions best over soft or uneven surfaces. Standard crawler dozers, on the other hand, have a much narrower track that best suits ground that is rocky or evenly compacted. Due to these key differences, it is customary to separate them in analysis.
Aggregated from over 21,000 individual sales records this year, these charts show a clear lead in market volume from Caterpillar. Among smaller and medium-sized standard crawler dozers, Deere, Case, and Komatsu have a strong presence in the markets, but above 160 HP Caterpillar is clearly the most popular manufacturer. In the 160 – 359 horsepower category, Caterpillar comprises nearly 70% of the market, and over 92% of dozers with horsepower above 360 HP. Total LGP crawler dozer sales are much smaller than standard crawler dozers in 2015, but the proportions of market share are relatively similar. Caterpillar holds about 66% of the market for models between 85 HP and 159 HP, and 71% of those in the 160 – 359 HP ranges.
As the year goes on, we may in fact see some lessening of Caterpillar’s presence on the markets. The summer seasons are typically much higher in sales activity than the winter and early spring of the first quarter; more sales may lead to a greater diversification of the secondary markets. Additionally, as other manufacturers like Deere and Komatsu continue growing in popularity among owners of crawler dozers, Caterpillar may face much stiffer competition for control of the secondary markets for standard and LGP crawler dozers. For those looking to try a less-popular brand and avoid paying a significant price premium for Caterpillar models, the secondary markets are rather sparse now but may diversify over the course of 2015.