That’s the first time more than a quarter-million units were sold in one year in North America, according to Brian Feehan, president of the Industrial Truck Association, the trade group representing lift truck manufacturers.
There was really no downside to the market last year, as all truck classes were up over their 2016 numbers, including a 19-percent growth for internal combustion (IC) class 5 trucks. In terms of market share, electric trucks overall accounted for nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of all trucks sold in 2017.
The news was just as uplifting on a global scale, with total units sold reaching a new high of 1.33 million. All geographies saw gains in units sold over 2016, with the biggest climb coming from Asia, which rose 26 percent in the past year. All told, world industrial truck sales were up 15 percent in 2017.
In honor of National Forklift Safety Day on June 12, here are this year’s 10 largest global manufacturers of forklifts, as ranked by revenue.
10. Doosan
Doosan Industrial Vehicle Co. Ltd., a division of Doosan Corp., is South Korea’s largest forklift manufacturer. According to Statista, Doosan’s forklift business, based in Incheon, amounts to $781m, moving it into the 10th slot in the wake of the Mitsubishi Logisnext consolidation.
9. Hangcha Group
Hangcha Group, based in Hangzhou, China, had revenues of $1.07bn, an increase of 30 percent over the previous year, according to Financial Times.
