In a supply chain environment heavily impacted by the emergence of autonomous mobile robots, predictive analytics, handheld devices and AI-everywhere, the main driver of products within and without the four walls of a distribution center remains the forklift.

In a supply chain environment heavily impacted by the emergence of autonomous mobile robots, predictive analytics, handheld devices and AI-everywhere, the main driver of products within and without the four walls of a distribution center remains the forklift.

According to the Industrial Truck Association, 216,000 forklifts were sold in the US last year, a 9% increase from the 198,000 sold in 2024. That’s still a long way from the peak of over 340,000 in the COVID years of 2021-22, but it’s nonetheless reassuring to see the market bouncing back.

For many years, MH&L has been tracking the Top 10 forklift manufacturers, and the annual ranking of those suppliers is one of our most popular articles every year. This podcast offers a new way to follow the forklift industry, and borrows a page from the old David Letterman show by counting backwards from 10 down to 1. Click on the player below to hear the countdown.