12.02.2025
Tough quarter for Haulotte
French aerial lift manufacturer Haulotte has posted its revenue numbers for 2024. Its full results are not due until mid March.
Full year
The company saw total revenues plunge 17 percent in comparison with the record year in 2023, with the fourth quarter particularly hard.
The numbers were:
New equipment sales €536 million -20%
Rental €21 million -11%
Parts & services €77 million +9%
Total €634 million -17%
Geographic breakdown
Europe, the market was particularly hard hit by ‘wait and see’ given the arrival of tariffs on Chinese imports, with sales dropping 23 percent over the year.
Asia-Pacific sales came in 21 percent below 2023 levels with revenues losing all of last year’s gains.
North America, saw a sharp slowdown in business for Haulotte across all sectors, with total revenues falling 11 percent, although.
South & Central America was the sole region where sales came in at roughly the same level as last year, following solid growth in 2023.
Fourth Quarter
Haulotte saw revenues in the fourth quarter plunge 37 percent to €126 million, with sales down in every region with a greater than expected wait and see attitude from rental customers towards the end of the year.
Margin
Haulotte will not post its full results until March but says that thanks to the shift in revenue make up, it anticipates an operating margin in the region of six percent of sales.
2024
As to its outlook for 2025 the company said: “In the current market environment with limited visibility, the group is unable to commit to a specific sales target for 2025 but will do so as soon as conditions permit. This time last year the company had forecast a stable year for 2024 at least in terms of sales revenues.
Vertikal Comment
There is no other way to say it, this is a disappointing set of numbers from Haulotte. Especially given the momentum created in 2023.
The campaign to introduce tariffs, on Chinese built products, has probably not helped, a factor it refers to in its revenue report – but what it overlooks in that comment, is that as one of the ringleaders of the tariff campaign it is likely to have stirred up negative feelings among some of its customers, given that they are likely to face significant price rises now.
If this is so it is likely to be a temporary glitch, if we look more to the medium to long term the company has well placed production facilities, and several really good products along with a good few innovative accessories and decent technology.
2025 might yet surprise – watch this space.
chinkinthearmour
Look up the term ringleader in any dictionary and it has negative connotations.
ringleader
noun
: a leader of a ring of individuals engaged especially in improper or unlawful activities
vertikal editor
Yes we should have provided feedback sooner, to the suggestion of bias, and that to add thumbs to the Vertikal Comment - apologies.
Our view is that you are free to comment on the article and the comment as extensively as you like in the Comments section below, as you have done.
I would like to understand though why you feel that this comment is biased, it says probably not helped, a factor the company refers to in its revenue report, we added the suggestion that the price increases seen in some markets as a result, might be putting some buyers off those companies who organised the tariff campaigns. But maybe not?
What we try to do with the Vertikal Comment is add an angle that may not be obvious or additional information – we try hard not to show any bias and do Not feel we have failed here.
There is also a suggestion that there seems to be a co-ordinated thumbs down campaign – we have had our own suspicions on this – but it would take so much effort, unless you had some programme, to do this. We have this week added additional security to doubly ensure that mechanised registrations are blocked
Finally, we have considered taking away the thumbs down feature and leaving readers to agree – or not. And will keep an eye on it.
Most importantly thank you for raising the subject.
Eric_L
Interesting chink, do you feel your own comment was unbiased ?
And I'm curious to what you found as unbiased in the original editor's comments ?
As for the thumbs, there seems to be a glitch in the system as every comment seems to get a disproportional number of thumbs down, no matter the subject.
chinkinthearmour
Paul
I just don't think this editorial comment was unbiased and I wanted some comeback.
paul-richards43
It appears ‘chink’ is hiding in the armour - unbiased editorial comments can be informative, and in some cases encourage useful additional debate.
The digital publication provides the forum and opportunity for readers to contribute if they have something worthwhile to add - obviously anonymity is the preference for some.
My recommendation would be to do away with the ‘thumbs’ altogether as it has often served only to foster childish abuse of its intended purpose.
chinkinthearmour
Dear Editor
Let your readers mark your homework, why not allow up and down arrows on your comments in future?
The campaign to introduce tariffs, on Chinese built products, has probably not helped, a factor it refers to in its revenue report – but what it overlooks in that comment, is that as one of the ringleaders of the tariff campaign it is likely to have stirred up negative feelings among some of its customers, given that they are likely to face significant price rises now.