Canada, Australia and Mexico were the top three export destinations for US-made construction equipment in the first half of 2006, an industry report said.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has consolidated US Commerce Department data with "other sources" into a quarterly export trends report. It said the US exported USD6.68 billion of construction machinery in the first six months of 2006.

Canada imported USD2.53 billion of equipment (up 22 per cent), Australia USD640 million (up 11 per cent) and Mexico USD465 million (up 36 per cent).

Central America imported 44 per cent more US construction equipment than in the same period in 2005, rising to USD638 million. South America's imports rose 16 per cent to USD950 million.

Export volume to Asia overall declined 19 per cent to USD694 million, but exports to China hiked 20.5 per cent to USD114 million, putting China in 11th place as a US construction equipment export destination.

AEM assistant director of international marketing Arnold Huerta said most equipment sales in Latin America and China were for residential and commercial construction projects and transport infrastructure.

That was according to participants in AEM quarterly industry conditions surveys, Huerta said.

Europe's imports of US-made construction equipment declined 17 per cent to USD892 million. Africa's imports grew 66 per cent to USD318 million and the Oceania region gained 10 per cent to USD657 million.

Of the top 10 export destinations, Colombia's imports grew most, at 86 per cent, to USD140 million. According to the report, the top 10 export destinations for US construction machinery were Canada, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Belgium, South Africa, Singapore, Colombia and Peru.

About 11 per cent of AEM members' product lines include lifting-related equipment, like forklifts, cranes, aerial work platforms and hoists.