Market evolution: Self-propelled works trucks (CN 8709) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report examines the evolution of EU external trade in goods classified under Combined Nomenclature code 8709 — self-propelled works trucks not fitted with lifting or handling equipment, used in factories, warehouses, dock areas, and airports, along with railway platform tractors and associated parts. The heading encompasses three subcategories: non-electrical works trucks (870919), electrical works trucks (870911), and parts (870990). Over the period 2015–2025, the EU consolidated its position as a major net exporter in this sector, with trade surpluses widening substantially. The period was characterised by a pronounced shift toward higher-value products, a dramatic decline in physical production volumes paired with rising production value, and a growing role for Asian suppliers — particularly China — on the import side. This report is structured around three principal dynamics: the value-driven expansion of EU exports, the changing profile of EU imports, and the structural transformation of the European production base.

1. From volume to value: The EU's deepening export premium

The EU trade surplus in works trucks nearly doubled over the decade

The EU maintained a persistent and growing trade surplus throughout the period. In 2015, the trade balance stood at €164.4 million, rising to €302.3 million by 2025 — an increase of 83.9%. The surplus peaked at €345.9 million in 2023 before moderating slightly. Net import reliance deepened dramatically from −3.8% in 2015 to −298.5% in 2025, indicating that exports grew far more rapidly than imports in relation to domestic consumption.

EU export volumes fell while export values surged — revealing a powerful unit-price effect

A striking feature of the period is the divergence between export quantity and export value. Export volumes in tonnes declined from 25,943 t to 22,915 t (−11.7%), yet export value rose by 73.8% to €395.5 million. This was driven by a near-doubling of average export prices, from €8,771/t in 2015 to €17,261/t in 2025 (+96.8%). The EU thus sold fewer tonnes but earned substantially more, pointing to a compositional shift toward higher-value products — notably electric works trucks (870911) and sophisticated non-electric models.

Export growth was led by Germany, with Italy emerging as a fast-growing contributor

Among EU exporting Member States, Germany was the dominant player, accounting for €198.1 million in 2025 (up 112.1% from €93.4 million). France remained the second-largest exporter but with more modest growth (€67.2 M → €71.4 M, +6.2%). Italy saw exceptional growth of 352.2%, rising from €8.4 million to €38.0 million, suggesting successful positioning in higher-value segments. Spain also doubled its exports to €12.1 million.

The United States and the Republic of Korea became the most dynamic export destinations

The geographic pattern of EU exports shifted notably. The United States remained the largest single destination, growing from €66.1 million to €112.0 million (+69.3%). The most dramatic growth, however, was recorded in exports to the Republic of Korea, which surged from €3.4 million to €42.5 million (+1,152.7%), making it the third-largest export market by 2025. Exports to Türkiye also grew strongly (+184.8% to €33.5 M), and the United Arab Emirates more than tripled to €26.8 M. Exports to the United Kingdom nearly doubled to €42.8 M despite the post-Brexit trade friction. China, by contrast, saw a slight decline (−1.9%), suggesting saturation or growing local competition.

2. Import dynamics: Rising prices, falling volumes, and China's growing role

EU import volumes halved while import values and prices rose sharply

EU imports tell a story of declining physical volumes paired with rapidly rising prices. Total import quantity fell from 22,294 t to 11,568 t (−48.1%), while import value grew from €63.2 million to €93.3 million (+47.6%). Average import prices nearly tripled, rising from €2,834/t to €8,062/t (+184.5%). This indicates that the EU is importing fewer, but more expensive, units — consistent with the shift toward electrical works trucks (870911), which command significantly higher unit values.

Electrical works trucks became the fastest-growing import category

The segment breakdown reveals that the electrical segment (870911) was the main driver of import value growth. Imports of electrical works trucks surged in value from €8.0 million in 2015 to €34.6 million in 2025 (+331.7%), while their quantity rose from 1,630 t to 4,144 t. In supplementary unit terms, the 2025 figure of 183,342 items (up from 14,495 in 2015) suggests a massive influx of lower-weight electric vehicles — potentially small autonomous guided vehicles or electric platform trucks. Meanwhile, imports of non-electric trucks (870919) fell in both volume and value, and parts imports (870990) also declined substantially from €28.8 M to €18.0 M.

China consolidated its position as the EU's leading import supplier, while UK share eroded

The partner composition of imports shifted markedly toward Asia. China's share grew from €14.1 million to €38.1 million (+170.5%), making it the largest extra-EU supplier by a wide margin. This growth was consistent across the period and accelerated from 2020 onward. Norway also emerged as a significant supplier, rising from €1.7 M to €9.1 M (+422.8%). By contrast, the United Kingdom — historically a major supplier — saw imports decline from €18.5 M to €11.1 M (−40.0%), a trajectory likely influenced by Brexit-related trade barriers. The United States remained a stable supplier at around €14.8 M.

Price shocks and volatility were concentrated in a handful of trading partners

The volatility analysis shows that import flows from most partners exhibited moderate variability, but several outliers stand out. The Russian Federation showed extremely high volatility (CV of 2.66), reflecting the sharp disruption from sanctions following 2022 — import value swung from a peak of €10.6 M to near zero. Taiwan and Kazakhstan also exhibited high variability. A notable price shock was detected in imports from Türkiye around 2020, with an abnormality score of 121.8 and a price shift of +81.7%, potentially linked to pandemic-related supply disruptions and currency depreciation.

3. A structural transformation of the European production base

Production volumes collapsed while production value rose — evidence of a fundamental shift toward premium manufacturing

Perhaps the most consequential finding in the data concerns the EU's domestic production. Production quantity (in items) fell from 235,456 units in 2015 to just 16,000 units in 2025 — a decline of 93.2%. Over the same period, production value rose by 29.1%, from €359.4 million to €464.0 million. The implied average unit value thus jumped from approximately €1,526 per unit to €29,000 per unit, indicating a wholesale shift from mass production of basic, low-cost vehicles toward smaller series of high-specification, high-value products. This is consistent with the emergence of advanced electric works trucks, autonomous guided vehicles, and specialised airport logistics equipment.

Export propensity surged, confirming the EU's reorientation toward global markets

The export propensity — exports as a share of production — soared from 12.7% in 2015 to 92.6% in 2025 (+627.7%). Trade intensity (total trade as a share of production) similarly rose from 20.0% to 93.7%. These figures imply that the European works truck industry has become overwhelmingly export-oriented, producing primarily for international markets rather than domestic consumption. This transformation likely reflects the global competitiveness of EU manufacturers in the premium segment, combined with a contraction in lower-value domestic production that has been offshored or displaced by imports.

Specialisation and concentration patterns point to a geographically concentrated, high-value industry

The specialisation analysis for 2025 reveals that Luxembourg (RSCA: 0.48), Slovenia (0.44), and Sweden (0.33) were the most specialised EU producers relative to their overall trade profiles, followed by France (0.32) and Italy (0.30). Germany, while the largest absolute exporter, had a more diversified export portfolio. At the other end, Greece, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Lithuania showed negligible specialisation, with RCA scores below 0.06. The concentration of exports by value (HHI of 1,242 in 2025) remained moderate, indicating a reasonably diversified destination base, while import concentration was somewhat higher (HHI of 2,228), reflecting the dominant role of China.

The electric subsegment is emerging as a structural growth area in both trade and production

Drilling into the subcategories, the electric works truck segment (870911) stands out as the primary growth engine. On the export side, the EU exported electrical works trucks worth €114.5 million in 2025 (up from €75.9 M in 2015), with export unit prices (per piece) rising from €2,791 to €13,934 — a nearly fivefold increase reflecting the shift to higher-specification electric vehicles. On the import side, the explosion in supplementary unit counts (from 14,495 to 183,342 items) suggests growing imports of lighter, smaller electric platform vehicles — potentially from Chinese manufacturers who have rapidly scaled production of this category. Meanwhile, non-electrical trucks (870919) remained the largest single export category by value (€214.0 M in 2025), but their export volumes were flat to declining, and their share was gradually being eroded by the electrical segment.

Conclusion

Over the 2015–2025 period, the EU trade in self-propelled works trucks (CN 8709) underwent a profound structural transformation. The Union consolidated its role as a major net exporter, with the trade surplus reaching €302 million by 2025. However, the headline growth in export value (+73.8%) masked a decline in physical export volumes (−11.7%), revealing a decisive shift toward higher-value, more technologically advanced products — particularly electric works trucks. Domestic production volumes collapsed by over 90%, yet production value increased by 29%, confirming that European manufacturers exited mass-market segments and pivoted to premium, specialised equipment with global reach (export propensity reached 93%). On the import side, China emerged as the dominant supplier, especially in the rapidly growing electric segment, while the UK's share declined post-Brexit. The sector's evolution mirrors broader trends in European manufacturing: specialising in high-value-added products, facing growing competition from Asia in standard categories, and navigating the transition to electrification. Going forward, the key question is whether the EU can sustain its premium positioning as Chinese manufacturers continue to scale and move upmarket.