PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1932761
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1932761
Material handling equipment encompasses mechanical tools used for various purposes in the movement or storage of goods within industrial settings. These devices facilitate the transportation, storage, and manipulation of commodities and materials throughout the manufacturing, distribution, utilization, and disposal processes. Material handling equipment enables the efficient and swift movement of large quantities of products and heavy objects.
The main types of material handling equipment find application in manufacturing and distribution. Manufacturers in this context refer to companies engaged in the production and handling of material handling equipment. A manufacturer is an entity, whether an individual or a registered corporation, involved in the creation of finished goods from raw materials for profit. Various products in this category include cranes and lifting equipment, industrial trucks, continuous handling equipment, and racking and storage equipment. These material handling equipment types are utilized across diverse industries such as automotive, food and beverages, chemical, semiconductor and electronics, e-commerce, aviation, pharmaceuticals, and others.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs are impacting the material handling equipment market by increasing the cost of imported forklifts, cranes, conveyor systems, electric drives, and control electronics. Automotive, e-commerce, and food processing industries in North America and Europe are particularly affected due to dependence on imported equipment, while Asia-Pacific manufacturers face export competitiveness challenges. These tariffs are raising procurement costs and slowing fleet replacement cycles. However, they are also encouraging domestic assembly, regional supplier development, and innovation in electric and energy-efficient material handling equipment.
The material handling equipment market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides material handling equipment market statistics, including material handling equipment industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a material handling equipment market share, detailed material handling equipment market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the material handling equipment industry. This material handling equipment market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The material handling equipment market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $215.97 billion in 2025 to $230.44 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to manufacturing capacity expansion, warehouse modernization, forklift penetration growth, retail logistics demand, industrial safety requirements.
The material handling equipment market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $298.08 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to e-commerce warehouse investments, smart logistics adoption, electrification of industrial trucks, demand for high-density storage, automation in distribution centers. Major trends in the forecast period include demand for automated industrial trucks, expansion of racking and storage systems, growth of continuous handling equipment, integration of smart sensors, focus on energy-efficient equipment.
The rising adoption of automated solutions and robotics is expected to propel the material handling equipment market going forward. Automated solutions and robotics involve using technology to create systems that perform tasks and operations without direct human intervention, streamlining processes and improving efficiency across industries. These technologies rely on material-handling equipment for precise, fast, and efficient transportation, sorting, and distribution, especially for repetitive tasks. For example, in September 2024, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), a Germany-based non-profit organization, reported that global industrial robotics installations reached 4.28 million units in 2023, a 10% increase from 3.9 million units in 2022. Therefore, the growing adoption of automated solutions is driving the material-handling equipment market.
Major companies operating in the material handling equipment market are focused on product innovation, such as automated pallet tracking, which provides real-time inventory visibility and optimizes warehouse workflows to increase throughput and operational efficiency. Automated pallet tracking refers to a technology-driven system that automatically monitors and records the movement and location of pallets within a warehouse or distribution center without manual scanning or human involvement. For instance, in March 2025, Gather AI, a U.S.-based warehouse automation and AI solutions company specializing in inventory visibility and material-handling optimization, introduced MHE Vision, an AI-powered camera system that boosts warehouse throughput by enabling automated, real-time tracking of pallets and material-handling equipment. The system uses high-resolution cameras mounted on forklifts and automated pickers, combined with AI analytics to capture and interpret inventory movements, assess slot utilization, identify damaged or misplaced goods, and generate insights for workflow optimization. Additionally, it offers plug-and-play deployment without requiring new infrastructure, making it compatible with existing warehouse environments and various types of material-handling equipment.
In February 2024, Big Lift, a machinery manufacturer based in the United States, acquired ePicker LLC for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is a strategic step for Big Lift to enhance its presence in the competitive material handling market, especially in the area of lithium-powered equipment. ePicker LLC, also a U.S.-based firm, focuses on offering a diverse array of material handling equipment designed to improve efficiency and productivity across numerous industrial applications.
Major companies operating in the material handling equipment market are Beumer Group GmbH And Co. KG, Daifuku Co. Limited, KION Group AG, Toyota Industries Corporation, Honeywell International Incorporated, SSI Schafer Group GmbH, Jungheinrich AG, Crown Equipment Corporation, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Incorporated, Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Incorporated, Mecalux S.A., Liebherr Group, Swisslog Holding AG, Action Construction Equipment Limited, TGW Logistics Group GmbH, Viastore Systems GmbH, WITRON Logistik And Informatik GmbH, Cimcorp Automation Limited, Columbus McKinnon Corporation, Elettric80 S.p.A., Hanel GmbH And Co. KG, Hapman LLC, Hytrol Conveyor Company Incorporated, Jervis B. Webb Company, KITO Corporation, KNAPP AG
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the material handling equipment market share in 2025. The regions covered in the material handling equipment market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa
The countries covered in the material handling equipment market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The material handling equipment market consists of sales of casters and wheels, controllers, conveyors, dock equipment. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Material Handling Equipment Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses material handling equipment market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for material handling equipment ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The material handling equipment market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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