Top Ten: Leading manufacturers of industrial trucks in intralogistics

Industrial trucks are among the most important elements of intralogistics. These are either track-guided or trackless, as well as rail-bound, transport vehicles used for the internal transport of goods and merchandise.

Related to this:

• Intralogistics 4.0 and the intelligent material flow systems of material flow engineering

Two major global players in intralogistics for industrial trucks are based in Germany. Measured by revenue, the KION Group and Jungheinrich AG ranked second and third among the world's largest manufacturers of industrial trucks in 2019. The top spot has belonged to the Japanese conglomerate Toyota for many years. Industrial trucks encompass transport equipment for the horizontal movement of goods, primarily used at ground level within companies. This includes, among others, forklifts, pallet trucks, order pickers, and tractors. Revenue from industrial trucks accounts for nearly one-fifth of the total revenue of the German intralogistics sector.

Top ten of the world's largest manufacturers of industrial trucks by revenue

This statistic shows the world's largest manufacturers of industrial trucks by revenue in 2019. In 2019, Hamburg-based Jungheinrich AG generated revenue of approximately US$4.6 billion. Foreign currency figures are based on the exchange rate as of December 31, 2019. Values ​​have been rounded.

Largest manufacturers of industrial trucks worldwide by revenue in 2019

• Toyota Industries (Japan) – US$13.40 billion
• Kion Group (Germany) – US$7.20 billion
• Jungheinrich (Germany) – 4.60 billion US dollars
• Mitsubishi Logisnext (Japan) – $4.20 billion
• Crown Equipment Corp. (USA) – $3.70 billion
• Hyster-Yale Materials Handling (USA) – 3.30 billion US dollars
• Anhui Forklift Truck Group (China) – US$1.40 billion
• Hangcha Group (China) – $1.30 billion
• Doosan Industrial Vehicle (South Korea) – US$1.20 billion
• Clark Material Handling (South Korea) – US$0.80 billion

Related to this:

• KION Group – Statistics and Facts
• Jungheinrich – Statistics and Facts

Production volume of the German materials handling and intralogistics industry by sector

This statistic shows the production volume of the German materials handling and intralogistics industry by sector in 2017. In 2017, the German intralogistics industry achieved a production volume of approximately 4.5 billion euros in the area of ​​industrial trucks.

Intralogistics – Production volume in Germany by sector 2017

• Industrial trucks – 4.50 billion euros
• Cranes and lifting equipment – ​​4.10 billion euros
• Series-produced lifting equipment – ​​3.60 billion euros
• Logistics software & electrical automation (incl. machine software) – 3.40 billion euros
• Continuous funder – 3.10 billion euros
• Storage facilities – 1.30 billion euros (e.g. buffer storage)
• Assembly, installation and repairs – 1.30 billion euros

The green, emission-free development of transport vehicles

From the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, developments took place that led to today's modern forklifts. The forerunners of the modern forklift were manually operated lifting devices used to lift loads. In 1906, the Pennsylvania Railroad introduced battery-powered platform trucks for baggage handling at its station in Altoona, Pennsylvania. During World War I, various types of material handling equipment were developed in Great Britain by Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies of Ipswich. This was partly due to wartime labor shortages. In 1917, Clark began developing and using motorized tractors and pallet trucks in its factories in the United States. In 1919, the Towmotor Company and, in 1920, Yale & Towne Manufacturing entered the pallet truck market in the United States. The continued development and expanded use of the forklift continued throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The introduction of hydraulics and the development of the first electrically powered forklifts, as well as the use of standardized pallets in the late 1930s, helped to increase the popularity of forklifts.

The outbreak of World War II, like World War I before it, encouraged the use of forklifts in the war effort. After the war, more efficient methods of storing products in warehouses were introduced. Warehouses required more maneuverable forklifts capable of reaching greater heights, and new forklift models were manufactured to meet this need. For example, in 1954, a British company called Lansing Bagnall, now part of the KION Group, developed what is believed to be the first electric narrow-aisle reach truck. This development changed warehouse design, leading to narrower aisles and greater stackability of loads, thus increasing storage capacity. During the 1950s and 1960s, operator safety became a concern due to increasing lifting heights and capacities. It was during this period that forklifts were equipped with safety features such as backrests and operator cages, known as protective devices. In the late 1980s, manufacturers began designing new forklifts with ergonomics in mind to improve operator comfort, prevent injuries, and increase productivity. The 1990s saw increased attention to forklift emissions, leading to the introduction of emissions standards for forklift manufacturers in various countries. The introduction of AC forklifts and fuel cell technology have also been refinements in forklift development.

Related to this:

• Networked distribution centers – Intralogistics 4.0
• Last Mile Logistics
• Intralogistics Glossary
• Intralogistics & Logistics Library (PDF)

That's why Xpert.Plus is the ideal choice for consulting and planning of industrial truck technology in intralogistics

Xpert.Plus is a project of Xpert.Digital. We have many years of experience in supporting and consulting on warehouse solutions and in logistics optimization, which we combine under Xpert.Plus in a large network.

I would be happy to serve as your personal advisor.

You can contact me by filling out the contact form below or simply call me on +49 7348 4088 965 (Munich) .

I'm looking forward to our joint project.

 

 

Xpert.Digital – Konrad Wolfenstein

Xpert.Digital is a hub for industry focusing on digitalization, mechanical engineering, logistics/intralogistics and photovoltaics.

With our 360° Business Development solution, we support renowned companies from new business to after-sales.

Market intelligence, smarketing, marketing automation, content development, PR, mail campaigns, personalized social media and lead nurturing are part of our digital tools.

You can find more information at: www.xpert.digital – www.xpert.solar – www.xpert.plus