European MEWP Rental Market Slows Down While US Ramps Up

Europe’s MEWP rental sector is facing economic pressure and cautious investment, while the US market outperformed expectations with resilient demand and renewed fleet growth.

This is according to the International Powered Access Federation’s (IPAF) 2026 Rental Market Reports analysing the MEWP rental markets across Europe, the US, and Asia.

In 2025, both the European and US MEWP rental markets recorded further revenue growth, supported by higher rental rates and fleet growth.

The US market performed better than expected, growing by 4% to around USD $15.8 billion. Growth was supported by resilient rental demand, the cost advantage of renting over owning, and activity linked to facilities management and data centre projects. Fleet growth also resumed, and revenue is currently expected to grow by around 5% in 2026.

In Europe, growth was more difficult due to weak construction activity, cost pressure and broader economic uncertainty. The market grew by 2% to €3.6billion, but performance remained uneven, with Spain, Italy and parts of the Nordics outperforming while Germany, France, the UK and the Netherlands remained under pressure. Looking ahead, growth is expected to stay low to moderate in 2026-2027.

European Market Slows Down

The European MEWP rental market recorded revenue growth of 2% in 2025, reaching €3.6 billion, but conditions remained highly uneven across countries.

Southern European markets continued to develop very well, with Spain showing particularly strong momentum and Italy expanding at a healthy, though slowing, pace. Rental companies in the Nordic region also had a good year, while markets in Germany, France, the UK, and the Netherlands remained under pressure.

Across all Europe, growth was increasingly driven by market consolidation rather than by rising demand for rental equipment, according to the latest analysis conducted for IPAF by Ducker Carlisle.

Externals Pressures

Europe’s MEWP rental sector is slowing, with growth increasingly constrained by economic uncertainty, cautious investment and competitive pricing pressure. Fleet growth dropped to 1%, as rental firms focused on replacement and optimisation rather than expansion after heavy post-Covid renewal.

The picture varies across the region. Spain, Italy and the Nordics performed more strongly, with improving utilisation and firmer rental rates, while Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK remained under pressure.

Across Europe, rental rates increased by just 1% on average, and many firms struggled to pass on rising costs, instead relying on transport, fuel or service charges to protect margins.

Shift in Demand

The report also highlights a shift in fleet demand. Larger boom lifts remain under pressure, while demand is proving more resilient for compact scissors, low-level access equipment, vehicle-mounted platforms and specialist machines such as spider lifts.

Electrification is still advancing, but in many markets the transition is becoming more selective, with rental firms prioritising utilisation, suitability and total cost over purely emissions-led replacement.

US Market Ramps Up

In 2025, the US MEWP rental market grew by 4%, reaching approximately USD $15.8 billion. This marked a return to stronger growth and was a better result than expected at the start of the year, when the market was affected by tariff uncertainty, higher financing costs and a cautious macroeconomic outlook.

Rather than entering a deeper correction, the market proved relatively resilient, while growth was supported by the continued cost advantage of renting rather than owning equipment, steady underlying demand, and activity linked to facilities management and data centre projects.

Fleet growth also resumed in 2025. The total US MEWP rental fleet reached around 875,000 units, up 2% compared with 2024.

Rental rates increased by 2% in 2025, although competition remained strong and rate growth was moderate. Utilisation declined slightly to 70%. This appears to have been driven more by fleet growth than by weaker demand, says IPAF.

Large Projects Boost Performance

Market conditions remained broadly healthy, with large projects continuing to absorb capacity, particularly among major national and specialist rental companies. Pressure was more visible among smaller independent rental businesses.

The stronger-than-expected performance in 2025 confirmed the resilience of rental demand and the structural attractiveness of MEWP rental in the US.

Sector Remains Resilient

Peter Douglas, CEO and Managing Director of IPAF, said: “These latest Rental Market Reports show a sector that remains resilient, but increasingly shaped by very different regional conditions.

“In Europe, growth is slowing and rental companies are having to manage cost pressure, cautious investment and uneven demand, while the US market has shown stronger momentum than many expected.

“For rental companies, manufacturers, suppliers and investors, the reports provide valuable insight into where markets are performing well, where pressure is building, and how trends such as fleet renewal, utilisation and electrification are evolving.”

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