The e-commerce industry has experienced significant growth due to factors such as increased disposable income, widespread internet access, and enhanced shopping convenience. This surge in online shopping, coupled with unpredictable shipping and shopping patterns, as well as direct-to-customer shipments, has led to a substantial increase in retail sales.
This growth in retail sales has brought about a noticeable transformation in warehouse operations. Warehouses are tasked with fulfilling substantial orders for individual items. This shift necessitates greater efficiency among warehouse workers and forklifts in the processes of locating, selecting, and transporting goods within the warehouse space.
That is pushing the forklift market to reach $154.99 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 13.7% from 2025 to 2030, according to a new report, Forklift Market, by Grand View Research, Inc.
Manufacturers such as Toyota Material Handling and Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. are focusing on investing heavily in R&D activities to manufacture technologically advanced autonomous forklifts. Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. integrates forklifts with systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Warehouse Management System (WMS), offering employees a complete real-time view of the automated forklift.
In addition, manufacturers aim to reduce the dependency of autonomous forklifts on guide wires, magnets, and lasers. Autonomous forklifts provide stable and consistent performance. These machines may reduce the cost of finding as well as onboarding a new workforce. They decrease product damage and reduce the ergonomic impact of physically demanding and monotonous work tasks for warehouse workers.
Forklift suppliers are constantly upgrading the technologies used in forklifts to provide advanced features, such as operator assist, improved ergonomics, and onboard programming and diagnostics. For instance, in October 2022, Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a forklift manufacturer and warehousing solutions provider, launched an updated version of its 3-Wheel Electric Forklift featuring Toyota Assist's SEnS+ pedestrian detection technology to detect objects and pedestrians within the detection range.
Other features included enhanced energy efficiency to allow for a 40% longer run time on a single charge, an auto power mode to detect slopes and automatically switch to a higher power mode to maintain speed, and a lithium-ion battery to minimize maintenance costs and reduce downtime for improved productivity. These enhancements were designed to enable operators to be more productive while incurring a lower cost of ownership over the forklift's lifespan.
Highlights from the report include:
- The class 3 segment accounted for the largest market share of 44.2% in 2024. Due to the growing demand from small and medium-sized warehouses for material loading and unloading, the market is anticipated to gain momentum.
- The below 5 segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The segment growth is owing to their versatility, compactness, and cost-effectiveness, among others making them a valuable asset for end-use industries seeking flexible and efficient material handling solutions.
- The lithium-ion segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. These batteries are broadly used in electric forklifts as they provide longer lifespan, higher energy density, and faster charging capabilities.
- Retail & e-commerce is expected to register the highest growth rate over the forecast period. As businesses strive to optimize their supply chain operations and enhance productivity, they invest in advanced warehousing facilities. As a result, the need for efficient forklifts has grown substantially.
- The Asia Pacific forklift industry accounted for 48.4% share of the overall market in 2024. Companies in the region are incorporating smart technologies such as IoT sensors, telematics, and AI-driven fleet management systems into forklifts. These innovations enable real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimized route planning, driving better decision-making and cost savings for end-use industries.
- In August 2024, Crown Equipment Corporation opened a sales and service facility in New Albany, Ohio. This new facility is expected to offer material handling and warehouse solutions to customers in the area. The facility will also provide regional businesses with the necessary equipment and services to boost productivity and uptime, ensuring their material handling operations and supply chains remain efficient and effective.
