Exports of construction equipment increase in 2004.

* The market for exports of U.S.-made construction machinery closed 2004 with a total of $8.9 billion worth of equipment sold worldwide--a 30 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

All world regions showed double-digit increases, according to the AEM, which consolidates data from the U.S. Commerce Department with information from other sources for its quarterly export trends report.

Exports to Australia/Oceania led the way in 2004 by taking in $784.5 million in U.S.-made construction equipment, a 63 percent gain.

Exports to South America increased nearly 60 percent with $1.1 million in purchases. Asia ranked third in growth with exports to that region totaling $1.3 billion, an increase of 35 percent.

Equipment exports to Central America increased 21 percent and totaled $801 million, while exports to Africa made a 24 percent gain with purchases worth $355 million. Europe bought $1.55 billion worth of American-made construction equipment, a 17 percent gain for 2004; and exports to Canada increased to $3 billion for a 23 percent gain.

According to the AEM report, the 10 countries that bought the most U.S.-made construction machinery in 2004 are:

Canada--$3 billion

Austrailia--$747 million

Mexico--$626 million

Belgium--$408 million

Chile--$363 million

China--$262 million

Brazil--$260 million

Germany--$225 million

Singapore--$224 million

United Kingdom--$174 million