RLB CRANE INDEX®

While the overall value of building activity and consents are at (or near) record highs, New Zealand’s RLB Crane Index® has fallen to 176 index points representing 139 long-term cranes.

There was a net decrease of five long-term cranes for this edition of the RLB Crane Index. 58 cranes were removed from sites, while 53 new long-term cranes were placed on sites. Despite the decrease in net crane numbers, the commercial sector saw strong activity with an additional eight long-term cranes, while the civic and recreation sectors each added four long-term cranes.

New Zealand’s residential crane index value decreased again to reach 136 index points, down from the 214 points recorded in the previous edition, and 60% down from the peak in Q3 2022. The current figure represents only 30 long-term cranes, down from 47 cranes previously. Residential cranes now make up only 21.6% of all cranes in New Zealand, the lowest since Q3 2015.

Christchurch had its highest total since 2017 and Dunedin reached a record crane count. Tauranga had a net increase of two cranes. Queenstown saw six cranes removed and six new cranes on sites across the region. Auckland saw the largest drop in long-term cranes, from 90 in the last edition to now hosting 79. Both Hamilton and Wellington saw a fall of two cranes each.

New Zealand’s construction industry has continued its growth in overall activity. The total value of building work put in place over the 2023 calendar year rose to $36.6bn, up 7.1% compared to 2022. The residential sector saw a minor lift of 2.2%, while non-residential surged by 17.7% to reach a record $12.5bn in 2023. When comparing the volumes of work put in place (based on September 2022 prices), residential work fell by 4.5%, non-residential rose by 10.1% and overall building work grew by just 0.1% in 2023.