Material Handling Equipment Market Report 2026

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 Schäfer 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.

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