Chicago, May 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global forklift trucks market was valued at US$ 53.07 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 102.87 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.49% during the forecast period 2025–2033.
The forklift trucks market is charging into 2024 with momentum rarely seen in industrial-equipment cycles, buoyed by synchronized growth across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. World Industrial Truck Statistics (WITS) shows global shipments climbing 8.4% year over year to 1.75 million units in 2023, while OEM order books already indicate a further 6% surge for H1 2024. Electrification remains the prime accelerant: battery-powered trucks claimed 70% of quarterly orders by Q4 2023, up from 61% two years earlier, and lithium-ion models alone expanded 41% as cell prices fell below US$90 / kWh. Productivity is rising in tandem; Interact Analysis finds modern Class I electrics now move 22% more pallets per labor hour than 2020 counterparts, reinforcing management confidence and unlocking new capital budgets.
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Several converging forces suggest this upward trajectory will extend well into 2028. E-commerce floor space grew 9% globally in 2023, and CBRE projects another 7% rise this year—directly translating into heightened demand for high-cycle lift trucks and automated reach vehicles. Policy tailwinds further amplify purchasing power: the U.S. Section 45W credit reduces the cost of zero-emission forklifts by up to US$7 500, while China’s Green Equipment Subsidy offsets roughly 15% of list prices. Heavy-duty niches are likewise set to benefit as hydrogen infrastructure scales; Plug Power shipped 4 300 fuel-cell packs in 2023 and targets 6 000 for 2024. Taken together—robust backlogs, supportive incentives, falling battery costs, and accelerating automation—the forklift trucks market appears poised for its most resilient and profitable five-year run, offering stakeholders abundant avenues for growth and innovation.
Key Findings in Forklift Trucks Market
| Market Forecast (2033) | US$ 102.87 billion |
| CAGR | 7.49% |
| By Class | Class 3 (36.70%) |
| By Power Source | Electric Powered Forklifts (65.70%) |
| By End User | Retail and wholesale (41.30%) |
| Top Drivers |
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| Top Trends |
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| Top Challenges |
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Class I Electric Counterbalance Forklifts Evolving Global Demand Curve After Class 3
Global momentum inside the forklift trucks market has swung decisively toward battery-powered Class I counterbalance models. According to Industrial Truck Association (ITA) and World Industrial Truck Statistics (WITS), electric riders represented 67% of all new units shipped across North America and Europe during 2023, up from 59% in 2020. The trend is even sharper in China, where the China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA) records 81% domestic sales penetration for electrics, largely driven by provincial emissions caps. Demand concentrates in the 2.0–3.0 t lifting band, enabling firms to handle most palletised loads without widening aisles. Lower energy costs also matter: ITA pegs electric truck energy expense 35% beneath LPG equivalents at US$0.11 / kWh industrial rates.
Total-cost-of-ownership analysis cements the class’s strong growth momentum in forklift trucks market. DHL Supply Chain data show lithium-ion Class I forklifts achieving 8 000 operating hours before first battery replacement, cutting downtime 12%. Regenerative braking can recuperate up to 15% of energy in high-cycle centers, stretching runtime past eight hours. OEMs such as Toyota Material Handling and KION now bundle telematics, giving managers live utilization, safety, and maintenance alerts. From an ESG angle, each electric truck displaces roughly 12 t CO₂e annually versus diesel, per U.S. EPA equivalencies. Coupling measurable carbon savings with superior uptime creates a feedback loop: buyers boost electric adoption to hit sustainability targets, and in turn lock in lower lifecycle costs. Consequently, Class I electric counterbalance trucks have become the unquestioned backbone of global fleets.
Lithium-Ion And Hydrogen Powertrains Accelerate Breakthrough Innovation Adoption Worldwide Rapidly
Advanced energy storage drives today’s innovation narrative. Interact Analysis notes lithium-ion forklifts captured 34% of global electric shipments in 2023, more than double 2020’s share. The cost gap versus lead-acid fell to 18% after Chinese cell prices slid below US$90 / kWh in Q4 2023. Fast 1 C opportunity charging eliminates battery-swap rooms in the forklift trucks market, freeing about 5% of warehouse floor space according to Prologis audits. Enhanced battery-management systems now integrate CAN-BUS analytics, prompting Jungheinrich to offer five-year “battery-plus-truck” warranties that calm residual-value concerns.
Hydrogen fuel cells are also advancing in the forklift trucks market. Plug Power shipped 4 300 GenDrive units in 2023—up 22% YoY—even though infrastructure remains capex-heavy. A Class I truck can refuel a 2.4 kg tank in under three minutes, matching diesel turnaround times for multi-shift grocery warehouses. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act’s US$3 / kg clean-hydrogen credit cuts operating cost to roughly US$0.85 / kWh energy equivalent when green supply contracts activate. Toyota, Hyster-Yale, and STILL will roll out 2.5-5 t hydrogen models in Europe during 2024, signalling a dual-track future: lithium-ion dominates indoor fleets, while hydrogen targets heavy-duty, high-throughput environments.
Refurbished Units Reshape Procurement Strategies While Extending Equipment Operating Lifecycles
Refurbished—or “factory certified pre-owned”—forklifts have matured into structured fleet-refresh tools. ITA resale data show 26% of forklifts changing U.S. hands in 2024 were refurbished units, up from 19% in 2019. Ritchie Bros. auction figures put a three-year-old 2.5t electric counterbalance at US$14 800—a 42% discount to new. EU Directive 2012/19/EU on waste electrical gear has motivated OEM-run refurbishment centers that reclaim batteries, motors, and masts while ensuring CE compliance in the forklift trucks market.
A deeper effect is market-expansion rather than mere cannibalization. Interact Analysis estimates that for every five refurbished trucks deployed, two incremental first-time buyers emerge, notably in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Certified programs often retrofit lithium-ion packs; KION’s “Li-on upgrade” promises 12-year service versus five for lead-acid, reducing embodied carbon scrutinised under the Global Logistics Emissions Council framework. Procurement leaders therefore favour a blended model—new high-intensity trucks paired with refurbished spares for seasonal peaks—balancing capex with uptime, elevating safety, and broadening total market reach.
Cross-Regional Trade Flows Reveal Shifting Production Centers And Demand Corridors
Trade figures capture a shifting production landscape in the global forklift trucks market. China Customs recorded 684,376 complete forklift exports in 2024, a 35% jump over 2021. The United States bought 14%, while Brazil and Mexico combined for 9%, exploiting Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership supply chains. Germany, once dominant, shipped 138 900 units in 2023, down 7% YoY amid high energy costs. Thailand imported 41% more Chinese forklifts yet grew its own reach-truck exports to Oceania by 18%, illustrating intricate bilateral flows.
Policy largely explains the pivot in the forklift trucks market. The EU’s March 2024 anti-dumping duty—up to 33% on Chinese ICE forklifts but exempting electrics—redirects combustion products toward Latin America, where Mercosur tariffs average 14%. Meanwhile, the U.S. Section 301 tariff of 25% on Chinese material-handling categories nudges American buyers to Japanese and Korean brands; Japanese exports to the U.S. rose 17% in 2023. Turkey has become a processing hub: semi-knocked-down kits from Anhui assembled in Izmir qualify for EU customs-union rates. With OEMs reshaping footprints, logistics providers are reorganising consolidation nodes around Port Klang, Algeciras, and Savannah to keep lead times within 45-day omnichannel planning horizons.
Input Inflation, Technology Mix, And Subsidies Redefine Global Forklift Pricing
Commodity swings and technology shifts tug forklift prices in opposite directions in the forklift trucks market. Steel—35% of a truck’s BOM—averaged US$790 / t in 2023 (CRU), down 18% from 2022’s peak yet still 27% above 2019, keeping chassis costs high. Conversely, lithium-ion pack prices fell to US$128 / kWh (BloombergNEF), saving about US$1 500 on a 24 kWh Class I model. Semiconductor lead-times dropped from 52 to 16 weeks, unwinding 2022 spot-buy premiums. Net result: U.S. factory-gate prices for electric riders rose just 2.6% in 2023 versus 7.9% in 2022 (BLS PPI 333924).
Fiscal incentives blunt remaining inflation. China’s “Green Equipment Subsidy Catalog” offers up to RMB 12 000 per electric forklift under 3.5 t, offsetting new VAT carbon surcharges. The U.S. Section 45W Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit slices 30% of cost (max US$7 500) for zero-emission industrial trucks, while California’s CORE voucher adds US$2 000, shrinking payback to 2.9 years versus propane, Crown Equipment calculates. Germany’s accelerated depreciation rule allows 20% write-off in year one, yielding a 4% NPV price edge for efficient trucks. Thus, subsidies and tech deflation jointly temper customer price sensitivity.
E-Commerce Fulfillment And Third-Party Logistics Remain Most Profitable Application Segments
E-commerce has raised cycle rates dramatically in the forklift trucks market. CBRE counts 22.2 billion sq ft of global logistics real estate in 2023, up 9% YoY; 68% serves e-commerce or omnichannel. Pallet touches reach 230 per truck per shift in such centres, versus 140 in traditional manufacturing. Lithium-ion Class II reach trucks and three-wheel Class I electrics dominate purchasing. Amazon alone operates 75 000 robotic movers and forklifts across North America as of mid-2024. Gartner reveals e-commerce facilities devote 7.4% of OPEX to material-handling—the sector’s largest share.
Third-party logistics (3PL) providers convert these demands into high-margin contracts. Armstrong & Associates data show e-commerce-linked 3PL revenue grew 31% in 2023, far outpacing the 13% wider 3PL market. Fleet age averages just 3.1 years at tier-one 3PLs, reflecting fast replacement to avoid downtime penalties. Automation is converging: Hyster-Yale’s robotic end-rider raised productivity 27% in DHL’s Memphis hub, blending autonomy with conventional lifts. Buyers seek OEM bundles—telematics, finance, maintenance—turning forklifts into per-pallet operating costs. With Pitney Bowes forecasting 256 billion parcels by 2028, e-commerce logistics will remain the forklift trucks market’s profit engine.
Manufacturers pursue vertical integration and service models to protect margins
The top five OEMs in the forklift trucks market—Toyota, KION, Jungheinrich, Hyster-Yale, Mitsubishi Logisnext—held 63% shipment share in 2023 (WITS), yet margins tighten: Toyota’s slipped to 6.8% in FY 2023 from 8.1% in 2020. Vertical integration is their counter-move. Jungheinrich’s €450 million MIAS battery acquisition secures LiFePO₄ cells, while Hyster-Yale’s Nuvera venture brings fuel-cell stacks in-house. BYD, both battery giant and forklift OEM, undercuts European quotes by up to 12% in ASEAN bids, leveraging internal chemistry know-how.
Service revenue is the parallel front. KION’s “360° Service” subscription—predictive maintenance, training, analytics—earns 26% gross margin against 18% for equipment in the forklift trucks market. Telematics now ships with 52% of new forklifts (Interact Analysis), giving OEMs data moats; API access mimics SaaS fees. Toyota Industries Commercial Finance grew assets under management to US$5.4 billion in 2023, smoothing cyclicality. Start-ups challenge incumbents: Hangcha posted 19% revenue growth exporting low-cost lithium-ion models to Eastern Europe, and Vecna Robotics sells “forklifts-as-a-service” at US$2.50 per pallet move. Scale, vertical tech, and digital services therefore define the evolving competitive chessboard.
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Policy, safety, and sustainability regulations steer future competitive market dynamics
Regulation is tightening across emissions, safety, and circularity. California’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule bans internal-combustion forklifts under 12 000 lbs for large fleets from 2026, affecting 11% of U.S. warehouse space. Europe’s Machinery Regulation 2023/1230, effective 2027, classifies autonomous forklifts as “high-risk,” mandating redundant LiDAR and intrusion detection; non-compliance fines reach 4% of EU revenue. China’s GB7258-2023 raises lateral-stability thresholds in the forklift trucks market, triggering mast redesigns. Such statutes elevate R&D spend and favor certification-savvy OEMs.
Sustainability adds more levers. The EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 requires 16% recycled cobalt and 4% recycled lithium by 2031, pushing OEMs to closed-loop deals like Jungheinrich-Northvolt. Corporate buyers tie forklift procurement to SBTi targets; Walmart now demands cradle-to-grave CO₂ declarations audited under ISO 14067. Marsh McLennan reports 6-9% insurance discounts where collision-avoidance sensors cut incidents 40%. Draft ISO 7462 cybersecurity norms for autonomous vehicles could soon mandate secure over-the-air patching, reshaping aftermarket service in the forklift trucks market. Ultimately, policy and sustainability frameworks operate as both compliance mandates and strategic differentiators, steering competitive dynamics through 2030 and beyond.
Global Forklift Trucks Market Major Players:
- CLARK Material Handling Company
- Crown Gabelstapler GmbH & Co. KG
- Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited
- Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
- Jungheinrich AG
- KION GROUP AG
- Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks
- Toyota Industries Corporation
- Anhui Heli
- Other Prominent Players
Key Segmentation:
By Power Source
- IC Engine Powered
- Electric Powered
By Class
- Class 1
- Class 2
- Class 3
- Class 4
- Class 5
- Others
By End Use
- Retail & Wholesale
- Logistics
- Automotive
- Food Industry
- Others
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Middle East & Africa (MEA)
- South America
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