Hitachi to double excavator sales in China

TOKYO - Hitachi Construction Machinery Co, Asia's second-largest excavator maker, may double sales in China this quarter, beating its forecast as the nation's spending on railroads and mining fuels demand.

The Tokyo-based company's excavator sales in China, the world's largest and fastest growing market, may surpass 3,500 units during the three months ending March 31, compared with 1,774 a year earlier, Chief Executive Officer Michijiro Kikawa said. That would exceed the 3,000 units the company projected for the period on Jan 27.

Demand for excavators in China may climb 20 percent in the year starting April 1 from a record this fiscal year, Kikawa said. Heavy machinery sales in China are being driven by the nation's efforts to develop inland regions and increase coal production to meet rising demand for electricity. Hitachi Construction's 17 percent share of China's excavator market is the third largest after Komatsu Ltd and Doosan Infracore Co.