Earth-moving Machines

I - How earth-moving machines developed

To build the Pyramid of Cheops, the work of 100,000 was needed for a period of 23 years to handle 2.6 million cubic meters of material and, even in the early 19th century, the best workers with a spade and their own elbow grease could not shift more than 19 cubic meters a day.

The history of earth moving is rooted in mankind's earliest construction and farming activities, for example, clearing and levelling ground, ploughing, digging water channels, etc., the first mention of an earth-moving machine is the dredge with excavation arm designed by an Italian, Giovanni Fontana, in 1420.

By 1836, the Yankee Geologist, the first steam-powered excavator, could dig out 380 cubic meters a day. Leaving transport and actual construction work aside, one man operating this single machine would have taken 'only' 18 years to dig out all the material used to build the Pyramid of Cheops, an immense increase in productivity. The largest excavator ever made, the Marion 6360 built in 1965, would have completed the job in 31 and a half twelve-hour working days.

The first known earth-moving machine may have been Italian, but it was not until after World War II that Italy developed a full-fledged industry making earth-moving equipment.

Agricultural machine makers started applying their workshops and know-how to make dozers, diggers and mechanical shovels, then in the 1970s and 1980s, backhoe loaders, skid steer loaders and mini-excavators.

These days, the Italian earth-moving equipment industry is among the most advanced in the world. It produces the whole range of machines which would make it possible to build the Pyramid of Cheops even faster, yet in ways increasingly respectful of the environment and safety.

II - Production and sale of earth-moving machinery

Italy's earth-moving machinery industry showed continuous growth until the 1970s as national reconstruction and industrial development pushed ahead. This was followed by less impressive results until 1985 when promising results on foreign markets, the United States in particular, dragged the industry into recovery. Exports had in fact become a key factor in stimulating output.

In the first half of the 1990s, the industry entered another slump, but this then switched into recovery and growth to start a phase which, leaving some passing troughs to one side, has lasted until the present time.

The industry consists of many small and medium companies, although there are also some important transnational manufacturers producing complete machines and components.

They have a very important role in Italian production and exports. Another characteristic of Italian manufacturers is that they cover a vast and complete range of machines and equipment, and Italy is also the world's leading maker of vehicle tracks.

In 2005 in Italy, earth moving machinery worth a total value of 3.4 billion euros was manufactured. Around 60% (2 billion euros) of this output was exported to over 140 countries worldwide, with a credit balance of over 975 million euros.

The most important destination markets included the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.