Report Overview
The Rise of Smart Machines to Drive Market Gains Globally
Farmers, construction and forestry firms, and mining companies are turning to smart technologies to drive efficiencies and optimize production, which will both drive continued product innovation and industry sales.
Key Themes Covered in this Report:
- The use of smart off-highway machines will increase sharply through 2029 because of intensifying competition, workforce challenges, new regulations, and government initiatives to promote technological innovation.
- The agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining equipment markets are expected to perform well through 2029 and beyond.
- Sales of drones for farming, construction, forestry, and mining applications will advance at a double-digit annual pace between 2024 and 2029 as drones become more capable.
Featuring 44 Tables & 58 Figures!
Global demand for off-road equipment is projected to increase more than 5% per year to $744 billion in 2029. Among the trends that are expected to fuel growth in the agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining equipment markets are:
- the large off-highway equipment and attachment replacement needs of mature markets
- surging global demand for newly developed, smart machinery
- intensifying competition, worsening workforce challenges, and the adoption of new regulations, which encourage the use of more advanced equipment
- industry groups and governments promoting technological innovation, encouraging sustainable development, and addressing environmental goals
- rising agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining sector mechanization and foreign participation rates in industrializing nations
Productivity, Sustainability, & Worker Safety Boost Use of Smart Off-Highway Machines
Global sales of smart machines are projected to grow at a very fast rate, causing their share of total off-road equipment sales to double to more than 5% in 2029. Farmers, forestry operations, construction firms, and mining companies are turning to smart technologies because they offer productivity and efficiency gains; ensure compliance with new regulations; reduce pollution and waste; promote worker safety; and offer new capabilities (e.g., data collection). Among the most popular smart technologies are automated and semi-automated machines, robots, and AI and advanced software, along with digital management systems, for analyzing and monitoring sites.
From Sky to Site: Drones Prove Their Value in Diverse Tasks
Drones are expected to grow at a double-digit rate through 2029 as they become more integrated into various off-road applications:
- In construction, drones are increasingly used for site surveying, progress monitoring, and safety inspections, providing real-time aerial imagery that helps project managers make informed decisions and reduce delays.
- Drones in the mining industry are assisting in mapping terrain, monitoring stockpiles, and inspecting hazardous areas without putting workers at risk, significantly improving operational safety and resource management.
- For agriculture, drones are assisting with precision farming by capturing multispectral images to assess crop health, optimize irrigation, and monitor field conditions, leading to increased yields and reduced resource waste.
- Drones in the forestry industry are enabling efficient aerial surveying, forest health monitoring, wildlife tracking, fire detection, damage assessment, biomass estimation, and targeted aerial spraying.
Global Off-Road Equipment Technology Report Details
Details about the Global Off-Road Technology 2025 Report
| Current Total Market Size |
$567 billion (Off-Highway Equipment (AG, Con, For & Min) |
| Forecast Total Market Growth Rate |
5.6% CAGR from 2024-2029 |
| Historical Period |
2014-2024 |
| Forecast Period |
2024-2034 |
| Units Covered |
US dollars |
| Regions |
North America, Central/South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia/Pacific, Africa/Mideast |
| Countries Individually Covered |
Australia, Canada, India, Italy, & Poland |
| Products |
Agricultural Equipment
Construction Machinery
Forestry Equipment
Mining Machinery |
| Point Where Data is Measured |
Manufacturers’ level, ex-factory |
| Additional Elements |
Technology & Innovations
Important New Product Launches
Updated Company Technology Profiles
Drone Forecast
Smart Off-Highway Machinery Forecast |
Leading Companies in Global Off-Road Equipment Technology
Key companies driving changes in the global off-road equipment industry
| AGCO |
Kubota |
| Caterpillar |
Liebherr-International |
| CNH Industrial |
Sandvik |
| Deere |
SANY Group |
| HD Hyundai |
Volvo |
| Hitachi |
Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group |
| Komatsu |
Zoomlion Heavy Industry |
Global Off-Road Equipment Technology Report Scope
Off-road equipment, also known as off-highway equipment or off-road machinery, is a broad term used to describe commercial equipment that spends the bulk of its time off-road. The main market applications for off-road equipment include:
- construction
- agriculture
- mining
- forestry
Off-road equipment includes heavy-duty motorized machines designed for use in challenging applications such as construction sites, agricultural fields, above- and below-ground mining operations, and forestry work. These machines are built to withstand harsh environments including rough terrain, extreme conditions, and heavy loads.
Construction equipment is designed to move earth and materials, prepare sites for construction, and perform other heavy-duty construction-related tasks. Types of construction equipment include:
- bulldozers and off-highway trucks
- excavators
- cranes
- graders
- mixers and pavers
- loaders
Construction machinery is typically powered by diesel engines and equipped with large, durable tires or tracks for enhanced traction and stability.
Agricultural equipment includes machinery used to cultivate and harvest crops, manage livestock, and perform other farm-related tasks. These machines are designed to work efficiently in rough terrain and harsh weather conditions, with features such as adjustable suspensions, specialized tires, and hydraulic systems for lifting and moving heavy loads. Key types of agricultural equipment include:
- tractors
- harvesting machinery
- planting and fertilizing machinery
- haying machinery
- plowing and cultivating machinery
- livestock equipment
- other products such as irrigation equipment and sprayers
Mining equipment includes specialized machinery such as surface mining equipment (draglines, excavators and shovels, loaders, mining trucks); underground mining equipment such as conveyors; drills and breakers; crushing, pulverizing, and screening equipment; mineral processing equipment; and other machines used to extract minerals and other resources from the earth. These machines are often the largest and most powerful types of off-road equipment, designed to withstand extreme conditions and handle massive amounts of material.
Forestry equipment includes felling equipment (such as chainsaws, harvesters, and feller bunchers); extracting equipment (such as forwarders or skidders); on-site processing equipment; and other machines used to harvest and transport trees and other forest products. Forestry equipment is designed to work in rugged terrain and narrow spaces, with features such as high ground clearance, articulated steering, and specialized attachments for tree cutting and hauling.
The following products are excluded from the scope of this report:
- oilfield equipment
- manufacturing machinery
- electric power equipment
- on-road passenger or commercial motor vehicles
- transportation equipment such as railroads, ships or airplanes
- used, leased and remanufactured equipment
Off-Road Equipment Scope: Product Examples by Equipment Type
| Equipment Segment |
Products Included |
| Construction |
Cranes & draglines; dozers & off-highway trucks; excavators; graders, rollers, & scrapers; loaders; mixers, pavers, & mobile concrete pumps |
| Agricultural |
Farm tractors (pedestrian-controlled, wheeled, & crawler types); harvesting machinery (e.g., combine harvesters); haying machinery; irrigation equipment & sprayers; livestock machinery; planting & fertilizing machinery; plowing & cultivating machinery |
| Mining |
Crushing, pulverizing, & screening equipment; mineral processing equipment; mining drills, breakers, & portable drilling rigs; surface mining equipment (e.g., draglines, excavators & shovels, loaders, & mining trucks); underground mining equipment (e.g., armored face conveyors, hydraulic roof supports, roadheaders, & shearers) |
| Forestry |
Felling equipment (chainsaws, harvesters, & feller bunchers); extracting equipment (forwarders, skidders, cable yarding systems, farm tractors, & shovel loggers); on-site processing equipment (chippers & grinders, delimbers, & slashers); loaders; mulchers |