Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing Industry Profile

Companies in this industry manufacture material handling machinery and equipment, including forklifts, conveyors, elevators and escalators, and overhead cranes and hoists. Major companies include Honeywell Intelligrated, Hyster-Yale, Otis Elevator, and Terex (all of the US), as well as Cargotec and Konecranes (both of Finland), Daifuku and Toyota Industries (both of Japan), Heli (China), KION Group and SSI Schaefer (both of Germany), Manitou (France), and Schindler Holding.

Worldwide demand for material handling equipment is expected to grow at an annual rate of about 6% through 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights. Top countries for material handling equipment production include China and India.

The US material handling equipment manufacturing industry includes about 1,600 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $30 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by overall industrial production and companies' need to automate production and facilitate the efficient flow of goods to market. The profitability of individual companies depends on product innovation and efficient operations. Large companies have economies of scale in purchasing and greater ability to offer a wider range of products to a diverse customer base. Small companies can compete by specializing in niche products. Overall, the US industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for 60% of industry revenue.

Imports of material handling equipment, primarily from Canada, China, Mexico, and Japan, account for about 3% of the US market. Exports make ...