Shipments of autonomous industrial lift trucks are expected to double from 2024 to 2025 in North America and Europe, driven by a declining industrial workforce and related demand for automated and tech-connected equipment, according to data from global technology research firm ABI Research.
The research points to electrification, automation, and connectivity as rising trends in the fork truck market. “Pallet-picking operations have lagged when it comes to automation, with most warehouse automation coming in the form of smaller form Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) for case and item picking,” Ryan Wiggin, senior analyst at ABI Research, said in a statement announcing the report’s findings. “This is mostly because of the additional complexity and safety concerns associated with heavy pallet handling requirements. But more organizations are now exploring how they can optimize their industrial lift truck fleets through better management by adding telematics systems and exploring autonomous models for certain tasks.” Growing adoption is expected to “cannibalize shipments of standard industrial lift trucks in the medium term, with the effect most pronounced in North America and Europe,” according to the report. The desire for better fleet management is fueling a rise in the adoption of telematics systems for industrial trucks, as well. The report said the need to track and analyze movements, ensure worker safety, and orchestrate mixed fleets will drive shipments of telematics systems to this part of the market. “A declining workforce in industrial settings is forcing companies to consider adopting automated industrial trucks to conduct repetitive put-away and shunting activities, such as trailer unloading/loading and moving pallets from one part of a warehouse to another,” Wiggins also said. “Fleets will become an increasing blend of automation and manual operation alongside growing investment in telematics systems to support safety and management. Significant opportunities exist for all three sides of the market (OEMs, aftermarket telematics, and robotics providers) with several partnerships and new players expected in the coming years.”
