高机租赁市场陷入“不合理出厂年限要求”泥潭

Core Viewpoint - The unreasonable requirements for the age of rental equipment are causing significant harm to the tower crane rental market, leading to a distorted market development and a negative impact on the entire industry [4][22][24]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - In recent years, there has been a growing demand from clients for newer equipment, leading to a situation where unreasonable age requirements have become a major competitive point among rental companies [1][20]. - The number of tower crane rental companies surged from less than 5,000 in 2015 to 12,000 by 2020, with the market stock increasing to nearly 450,000 units due to the stimulus from housing policies [1][19]. - After 2019, the construction market began to decline, resulting in an imbalance between supply and demand in the tower crane rental market, with clients increasingly demanding newer equipment for safety reasons [1][5]. Group 2: Impact of Unreasonable Age Requirements - The unreasonable age requirements have led to a "destructive" impact on the tower crane market, distorting normal market development patterns [4][22]. - Despite a 1.2% decline in new construction area in 2020, tower crane sales still grew by 37%, indicating a lag in sales decline compared to market demand [5][22]. - The oversupply of newer equipment has created a vicious cycle, exacerbating structural supply-demand imbalances across various markets [6][7]. Group 3: Financial Implications - The unreasonable age requirements have severely damaged the business model of operational leasing, with rental prices dropping to less than one-third of 2019 levels and utilization rates falling below 50% [9][24]. - Major rental companies, such as Pangyuan Leasing and Dafeng Equipment, reported losses post-2022, with profit margins turning negative and increasing losses over recent years [11][24]. - The financial strain has led to increased debt risks, as companies continue to borrow to purchase new equipment despite declining rental profits [27][28]. Group 4: Industry Health and Safety - The unreasonable age requirements have led to a decline in the safety management capabilities of rental companies, as they cut costs to survive, potentially increasing safety risks [30][29]. - The impact of these requirements extends beyond rental companies, affecting upstream manufacturers and downstream clients, creating a ripple effect throughout the industry [28][30]. - The overall safety incident rates have not decreased as a result of these age requirements, indicating a failure to improve safety through such measures [29][30]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The high-altitude work platform rental market is beginning to show signs of recovery, but it is also facing similar unreasonable age requirements, with over 60% of clients demanding newer equipment [15][32]. - If the industry does not address the unreasonable age requirements, even with signs of market recovery, companies may continue to face intense competition and struggle to achieve profitability [33][32]. - There is a call for rental companies and industry associations to unite against these unreasonable requirements to foster a healthier market environment [17][33].