Roof rails could see a substantial increase in demand in the coming years, as part of an upswing in global construction led by installations of solar panels and other renewable technologies.
The latest Machinery Production Market Tracker from IHS Technology highlights construction equipment as a key growth area worldwide in the immediate future.
“Increased demand for housing, infrastructure and commercial buildings is benefiting the construction equipment sectors,” IHS Technology report.
“Moreover, social awareness of green technologies is resulting in higher demand for industrial machines in photovoltaics (PV) and in wind turbines.”
Overall, the report predicts that the 2.9% growth in demand for industrial machinery of all kinds in 2013 will be eclipsed in 2014, more than doubling to an expansion rate of 6.3%.
Any such increase in construction activity in particular is likely to be accompanied by a rise in demand for roof rails.
These play an important role in providing safe access to rooftops for maintenance, cleaning and other purposes.
With roofs increasingly serving as the base for photovoltaic panel installations, safe access will be essential in the years to come.