North America Conveyor Market Outlook, 2029

The North American conveyor system market is an important part of the region's industrial infrastructure, serving a variety of industries including manufacturing, logistics, food and beverage, automotive, and e-commerce. Conveyor systems are vital for automating material handling, increasing efficiency, and lowering operating costs. Conveyors of many varieties are available in the market, including belt conveyors, roller conveyors, overhead conveyors, and autonomous guided vehicles. Conveyor systems are in high demand because industrial operations require better productivity, lower labour costs, and greater safety. Conveyor system development accelerated in the early twentieth century, owing mostly to the expansion of the automotive sector.

Henry Ford's assembly line, debuted in 1913, transformed production processes and demonstrated the value of conveyor systems. The integration of sensors and robots, as well as the development of automated control systems, increased the possibilities of conveyor systems. By the late twentieth century, conveyor systems had become an essential component of industrial automation, allowing for the efficient transfer of materials and products through various stages of production and distribution.

The COVID-19 epidemic had a huge impact on North America's conveyor system business. Initially, the pandemic caused temporary shutdowns of production facilities and delays in supply chains, resulting in a drop in demand for conveyor systems. However, the pandemic has spurred the adoption of automation and e-commerce, resulting in increased demand for conveyor systems in the logistics and warehousing industries.

According to the research report "North America Conveyor System Market Overview, 2029,", the North American conveyor system market was valued at more than USD 2.70 billion in 2023. Self-navigating vehicles, or AGVs, use sensors and control systems to transfer materials and goods within industrial facilities. AGVs provide flexibility, scalability, and increased safety, making them perfect for dynamic and complex environments. Modular conveyor systems are made up of standardised components that may be easily designed and modified to meet changing production demands. These systems provide flexibility, scalability, and shorter lead times, making them perfect for dynamic and changing industrial situations.

Energy-efficient conveyor systems lower energy usage and carbon footprint by utilising modern materials, efficient motors, and optimised control systems. These solutions help to achieve sustainability goals and save operational costs. Hytrol is a renowned conveyor system manufacturer with a diverse product offering for a variety of sectors. The company is recognised for its unique solutions, such as the ProSort series of high-speed sortation conveyors and the E24™ 24-volt conveyor system. Dematic is a global supplier of automated material handling solutions, such as conveyor systems.

The company provides conveyor systems for a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, shipping, and e-commerce. Intelligrated, a Honeywell firm, works with other Honeywell divisions to create integrated automation solutions, which include conveyor systems. These agreements enable Intelligrated to provide complete solutions that meet the different needs of its customers.

Market Drivers

• Growing E-commerce business: The rapid expansion of the e-commerce business is a major driver of the conveyor system market. The growing popularity of online shopping has created a greater demand for efficient and automated material handling solutions in warehouses and distribution centres.
• Increasing Automation in Manufacturing: Another major driver of the conveyor system market is the move towards automation in manufacturing. Businesses are investing in automated conveyor systems to boost production, lower labour costs, and increase operational efficiency. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), global demand for industrial robots is predicted to increase at a CAGR of roughly 12% between 2021 and 2024, highlighting the growing acceptance of automation in industry.

Market Challenges

• High initial investment: Many businesses face major challenges when implementing modern conveyor systems. Small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) may struggle to justify the initial costs, despite the long-term benefits of increased productivity and lower labour costs.:

Skilled Labour Shortage: Another difficulty for the market is a lack of skilled labour to operate and maintain modern conveyor systems. As demand for automated solutions develops, so does the need for qualified technicians and engineers. According to a Deloitte analysis, the manufacturing industry in the United States is likely to suffer a million-person workforce shortage by 2028, with skilled labour accounting for a sizable percentage of this shortfall.

Market Trends

• Adoption of Smart Conveyor Systems: The trend towards smart conveyor systems that incorporate IoT, AI, and advanced control systems is gaining momentum. These technologies provide real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimised material flow, resulting in increased overall operating efficiency. The global IoT in logistics market is predicted to expand between 2024 and 2028, indicating the increased use of smart technology in material handling.:

Modular and flexible conveyor systems: The need for modular and adaptable conveyor systems is growing as businesses look for solutions that can be quickly customised and adjusted to meet changing production needs. Modular conveyor systems provide scalability, shorter lead times, and greater agility, making them perfect for dynamic and changing industrial contexts.

The automotive & transportation industry has the largest market share and growth in the North American conveyor system market.

This industry's dominance is fuelled by a number of major drivers, including the strong need for efficient and automated material handling solutions, the need for precision and dependability in industrial processes, and the growing adoption of modern technologies such as robots and automation. Because of its complicated and high-volume manufacturing processes, the automobile industry is leading the way in the use of conveyor systems. Automotive firms require conveyor systems that can handle a wide range of goods, from raw components to finished vehicles, with precision and efficiency.

The integration of conveyor systems with other automated technologies, including as robotic arms and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), has become critical for maintaining competitive production rates and good quality standards. The automotive sector has enormous production numbers, which necessitates efficient and dependable conveyor systems to transport materials and products through the assembly line swiftly and precisely. To achieve constant quality in components and final automobiles, automotive manufacturers need precise and dependable conveyor systems. Any disturbance in the conveyor system can cause substantial production delays and quality difficulties.

The automobile industry is a pioneer in implementing cutting-edge technology such as robotics, IoT, and AI. Conveyor systems that use these technologies offer real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimised material movement, resulting in increased overall operational efficiency.FKI Logistex is a global supplier of automated material handling solutions, including conveyor systems for the automotive sector.

Belt conveyors have the largest market share and usage in North America's conveyor system market.

Belt conveyors are widely utilised in a variety of industries due to their versatility, efficiency, and ability to transport a wide range of products. They are preferred for their continuous operation, high throughput, and versatility to a wide range of applications, including bulk material handling and precision product transportation. Belt conveyors can handle a wide range of products, from small components to huge and heavy goods, making them ideal for a variety of industries including automotive, food and beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical, construction and mining, and consumer electronics.

Belt conveyors provide high throughput and continuous operation, making them excellent for high-volume manufacturing and material handling processes. They can move commodities across great distances with few interruptions, increasing overall operational efficiency. Belt conveyors are more cost-effective than other types of conveyors, making them a popular choice in many sectors. Their low maintenance requirements and simple construction make them cost-effective. Hytrol is a major conveyor system manufacturer, offering a comprehensive range of belt conveyors.

The company provides innovative solutions, such as the ProSort series of high-speed sortation conveyors and the E24™ 24-volt conveyor system, to meet the complicated material handling requirements of numerous industries. Other types of conveyors, such as roller conveyors, pallet conveyors, and overhead conveyors, are also important and have specific uses that cater to the varying material handling needs of various industries.

Automatic operations dominate the market share and adoption of conveyor systems in North America.

Automatic conveyor systems are preferred because they improve efficiency, lower labour costs, increase safety, and provide constant performance in material handling activities. The increasing demand for high-volume manufacturing, the necessity for precision and reliability, and the expanding acceptance of new technology are all driving the automation trend. These systems can function continuously with few interruptions, considerably increasing production and lowering downtime. Automatic conveyor systems provide consistent and dependable performance while minimising the risk of human error and variability. This consistency is critical for upholding high quality standards and reaching production goals.

Automatic conveyor systems improve workplace safety by reducing the risk of accidents and injuries caused by manual handling. These systems are built with safety measures including automated guarding and emergency stop mechanisms. Dematic is a global supplier of automated material handling solutions, such as automatic conveyor systems. The company provides a wide range of automatic conveyor systems tailored to the specific requirements of various industries, such as high-speed sortation conveyors and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

FKI Logistex is a global provider of automated material handling solutions, such as automatic conveyor systems. The company provides a wide range of automatic conveyor systems that are meant to improve efficiency, precision, and dependability in material handling processes across multiple sectors. However, semi-automatic and manual processes play important roles in meeting the varying material handling needs of many sectors and applications.

Unit Load conveyors have the largest market share and adoption in North America's conveyor systems market.

Unit load conveyors are commonly used in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, and food and beverage. They are meant to carry discrete products or packages such as cartons, totes, and pallets. The appeal for unit load conveyors stems from its ability to efficiently handle a wide range of products and their appropriateness for automated material handling systems.

Unit load conveyors are designed to efficiently handle discrete items, resulting in high throughput and continuous operation. They are easily connected with other automated systems, such as sortation and palletising equipment, resulting in increased overall operating efficiency. Unit load conveyors are ideal for automated material handling applications.

They are easily connected with robotics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and other sophisticated technologies, allowing for real-time monitoring, and predictive maintenance. Hytrol is a renowned conveyor system manufacturer, offering a comprehensive range of unit load conveyor solutions. The company provides innovative solutions, such as the ProSort series of high-speed sortation conveyors and the E24™ 24-volt conveyor system, to meet the complicated material handling requirements of numerous industries.

Dematic is a global supplier of automated material handling solutions, such as unit load conveyor systems. The company provides a wide range of unit load conveyor systems tailored to the specific needs of various industries, such as high-speed sortation conveyors and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). However, bulk conveyors play an important role in meeting the material handling needs of sectors that deal with loose or unpackaged products.

The United States dominates the North American conveyor system industry in terms of market share, growth, and technological improvements.

The United States has a large and diverse industrial base that includes manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, automotive, food and beverage, and construction. This diverse industrial environment fuels the demand for improved conveyor systems that improve efficiency, lower costs, and increase safety in material handling operations. The United States economy is one of the world's largest and most dynamic, with a heavy emphasis on industrial development and technical improvement. The strong economic environment encourages the use of modern conveyor systems as businesses strive to increase productivity and preserve a competitive advantage.

The United States government provides assistance and incentives for the implementation of innovative technologies, such as conveyor systems. Regulations and standards, such as those established by OSHA for workplace safety, stimulate demand for conveyor systems. The United States spends heavily in infrastructure development, particularly in logistics and distribution centres, which require complex conveyor systems to handle large amounts of products efficiently. The rise of e-commerce and the requirement for efficient supply chains fuels demand for conveyor systems in the United States. Intelligrated offers automated material handling solutions, including conveyor systems, for a variety of sectors.

The company provides sophisticated conveyor systems, including the Accuglide™ accumulation conveyor and Alvey™ palletising solutions, to improve efficiency and dependability in material handling processes. Bastian Solutions is a top provider of material handling systems, including conveyors. The company provides a variety of conveyor solutions, such as belt conveyors, roller conveyors, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), tailored to the unique requirements.

• In 2008, The advent of IoT (Internet of Things) in conveyor systems allowed for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimised material flow. This advancement improved the efficiency and dependability of conveyor systems across multiple sectors.
• In 2012, Bastian Solutions was founded as a prominent provider of material handling systems, which included conveyor systems. The company provides a wide range of conveyor solutions tailored to the individual requirements of various sectors.
• 2014: Dematic, a global supplier of integrated automated technology, introduced a line of high-speed sortation conveyors to improve sorting accuracy and throughput in logistics operations.
• 2017: Dorner Manufacturing, a prominent conveyor system manufacturer, has introduced the 3200 Series conveyors, which are designed for high-speed, precise applications in industries such as packing and assembly.

Considered in this report

• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in this report

• Conveyor market Outlook with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Industry

• Automotive & Transportation
• Food & Beverage
• Chemical & Pharmaceutical
• Construction & Mining
• Consumer Electronics
• Other

By Type

• Belt
• Roller
• Pallet
• Overhead
• Others

By Operation

• Manual
• Semi-automatic
• Automatic

By Load

• Bulk
• Unit

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary and secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and list the companies that are present in it. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual reports of companies, and government-generated reports and databases.

After gathering the data from secondary sources, primary research was conducted by conducting telephone interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducting trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this; we have started making primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting them in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us, we can start verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations, and organizations related to the Conveyor industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing and presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.