Friday quiz: Why did sales fall at Volvo CE? How is Wacker Neuson reducing the impact of tariffs? What’s powering Bredenoord’s genset?

1) 1. What reason did Volvo CE give for the 8% decline in global sales it reported in Q1 2025?

• Spiraling energy prices which are pushing up unit costs

• Lower sales volumes in Europe and North America driven by increased geopolitical and market uncertainty

• Lower sales volumes than anticipated for electric equipment

2) Why did Chinese manufacturer Haihong remove a compact wheeled loader from its stand at Bauma?

• A task force led by the German mechanical and plant engineers association, the VDMA, said it did not meet compliance standards

• A German court ruled that the machine was a copy of the G2700 produced by Netherlands-based manufacturer Tobroco-Giant

• The entire product line was purchased by an unnamed client which requested its immediate removal from display

3) How does German manufacturer Wacker Neuson say it plans to adapt its operations to reduce the impact of US tariffs?

• Rethink the components in four product lines of 1.5 – 2.5-ton mini excavators currently being marketed in the US

• Accelerate a plan to produce 1.5 - 2.5-ton mini excavators in the US alongside the 3–5-ton machines it was already planning to manufacture under an agreement with John Deere

• Delay plans to invest further in its US business until the market stabilizes

4) Herc Holdings this week posted a US$18 million loss for Q1 2025. What did the company say the loss was primarily driven by?

• H&E acquisition transaction costs

• Problems with the company’s controls and accounting procedures

• A slowdown in the national account business fueled by a drop in federal and private funding for large construction projects

5) Netherlands power specialist Bredenoord this week said it was shifting its focus away from hydrogen and had developed a prototype 100KVA genset powered by what?

• Ammonia

• Methanol

• Urine

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