Projected world material handling demand figures

The report said demand is projected to expand by 4.5% each year. It continued: "Developing parts of the world will provide suppliers with some of the best sales opportunities. Industrialisation-related fixed investment activity, rising per capita incomes and growth in manufacturing output will all contribute to increases in equipment demand in these areas, most notably in the developing countries of Asia, especially China and India." Sales are also expected to be strong in Turkey, Mexico and Russia.

The report said material handling equipment demand in western Europe and Japan will show renewed strength following a period of relatively sluggish gains, and market advances in the US will also accelerate through 2010.

"Increases will be fuelled by generally favorable economic conditions and higher income levels, leading to a rise in goods consumption and manufacturing production, boosting material handling sales as fixed investment activity climbs," it continued.

The report predicted that advanced/automated material handling products such as robots and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) will post the best gains, as will software and high-end services like systems design and project management.

Demand for conventional material handling products - such as industrial trucks and lifts, conveyors, hoists, cranes and the like - will improve.

The US, Japan and Germany are the world’s largest producers of material handling products. Germany and Japan are by far the major net exporters, although China and South Korea are expected to become increasingly important global suppliers.

The 416-page report is available for $5,300 from The Freedonia Group, Inc., 767 Beta Drive, Cleveland, Ohio, US. For further details, please contact Corinne Gangloff by tel: +1 440 684 9600, fax: +1 440 646 0484 or email: pr@freedoniagroup.com.