The rapid expansion of US data center construction is creating new opportunities for Chinese heavy equipment manufacturers, who arrived at North America's largest construction trade show to showcase products meeting this growing demand. Companies like SANY and XCMG launched new machines and highlighted equipment suited for large infrastructure projects.
At the CONEXPO-CON/AGG trade show in Las Vegas, David Nicoll, CEO of SANY America, told China Daily that a customer sold two SY500H large excavators to a data center project last week. The SY500H is a high-performance heavy-duty excavator built for utility infrastructure and mass excavation. SANY launched 11 new machines at the show, debuting its first material handler for the North American market. The company currently offers 68 models and is introducing or updating 30 this year.
A report by MOCA Systems states that, driven by AI workloads, hyperscale cloud growth, and a race for power and real estate, data center construction has become the fastest-growing segment of nonresidential construction in the United States. It projects the US data center construction market will reach $86 billion this year, an eightfold increase from the 2022 baseline. A separate Fortune Business Insights report identifies rising data center construction as a key driver of broader construction equipment demand, noting that digitalization, automation, and AI adoption are fueling unprecedented demand for high-precision machinery.
Nicoll said data center projects require a wide array of heavy machinery, from small equipment to a 330-ton crane, and SANY supplies the full spectrum. He expects its large excavators, wheel loaders, motor graders, and crane business to be bolstered by these projects. The 6-to-12-month timelines create strong rental demand.
XCMG Group launched its PRO series of premium upgraded construction machines with advanced human-machine interaction, fault self-diagnosis, and intelligent control systems. Senior brand manager Feng Ruoyu said the rapid AI expansion in the US has created substantial infrastructure demand for server centers and power capacity, though mostly met by domestic brands, opportunities remain.
This year's show marks SANY's 20th anniversary in North America since 2006, with a 230-acre campus in Peachtree City, Georgia, and a network of 72 dealers across 191 locations. Nicoll described the industry outlook for 2026 as constructive, with moderate growth from infrastructure, data centers, and renewable energy projects supporting high equipment demand.
