2023 has been a great year in crushing and screening. We hold regular teleconferences with our dealers, and they report business has been strong all year and shows no signs of slowing down as we head into 2024.
We will build and ship a record number of machines this year, and we are booked well into 2024. So we are definitely bullish on the year ahead.
That being said, there are a few common issues of concern to our dealers, our suppliers and even the competitors we speak with on occasion. Interest rates are certainly a big one. Traditionally, presidential election years also have had a negative impact on our industry. However, strong demand and continued spending via the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act may negate that worry.
We are committed to continuous improvement, and we have made some significant upgrades to our product line in 2023 to make them more productive and dependable. In addition, we introduced our SmartWatch telematics package at ConExpo-Con/Agg, and our dealers have readily accepted it.
We have a strong book of business going into the new year. We have strengthened and expanded our dealer network with some great partners who are fully committed to crushing and screening. Supply chain issues, while still not back to pre-Covid standards, are far better than they were even a few months ago.
Dave Stewart is director of marketing at Screen Machine Industries.
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