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The autonomous forklift market size is projected to reach USD 6.4 billion by 2027 from an estimated USD 3.1 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 12.7% from 2021 to 2027. With the growth of end-use industry and adaptation of automated material handling systems to improve material handling and logistics Asia-pacific is forecasted to lead the autonomous forklift market.

Autonomous forklift assists in optimum utilization of space and reducing labor costs. The real estate prices in several developed countries are rising due to the increasing gap between demand and supply. The availability of real estate for warehouses in Europe is almost saturated, and the demand is still rising. Other developed countries in Asia Pacific and North America need to optimize space utilization. This has become imperative considering the ever-growing population and demand for consumer goods. Autonomous forklift is likely to be used to meet this increased warehousing requirement for efficient operations.

“Growth of E-commerce, Logistics and Warehousing Sector to trigger the adoption for automated material handling equipment such as autonomous forklifts”

Low cost of capital, fast return on investment (ROI), and a high degree of possibility of customization encourage manufacturing companies to invest more in factory automation and automated warehouse. Factors such as the enforcement of social distancing norms, lockdowns, and other measures have led consumers to opt for online shopping. This has led to the growth of business-to-consumer (B2C) sales and business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. However, the growth in the e-commerce industry has resulted in tight deadlines and the need to procure and deliver a huge number of goods without errors. Thus, e-commerce companies have increased the adoption of automation in their facilities. The advantages of autonomous forklifts over conventional forklifts such as reduced production time, fewer human errors, increased safety, high-volume production, and increased accuracy and repeatability have spurred the adoption in e-commerce and other logistics hubs.  

The warehouse automation allows for increased throughput, better resource utilization, reduced labor, lesser operational costs, decreased handling and storage costs, lesser human error, increased productivity, and efficiency. Hence, the warehouse automation market is growing.

“The Indoor Type segment of autonomous forklift is expected to hold a dominant share throughout the forecast period as they are fast improving their ability to operate without human interventions”

The indoor segment is expected to hold a significant market share during the forecast period due to its application in the fast-moving goods industry. Indoor autonomous forklifts are swift and precise in order picking and storage, allowing their increased utilization in the warehousing operations. They have enabled swift response to customization of orders, which was time-consuming with traditional forklifts. An autonomous forklift eliminates the idle time and unnecessary movements through pre-calculation with the help of a warehouse management system. Thus, the user can improve the capacity and efficiency of their warehouse with the same floor space.

 “Europe is anticipated to be the second largest market for autonomous forklifts in 2021 ”

According to MarketsandMarkets statistics, Europe is projected to hold the second largest share of the autonomous forklift market by 2027 because of the increased inclination towards the automation technology. Europe has been the most developed market in terms of implementation of automation in warehousing and material handling processes. High labor costs, shortage of space, and stringent worker safety rules are some of the primary factors leading to the high penetration of automation technologies in the European material handling ecosystem. European regulations related to AGVs include EN 1525 and EN 1526, which lay down safety standards for AGVs in the region. These regulations are expected to support the growth of AGVs and related AMH equipment in this region. The growing electrification infrastructures along with large logistics industry in Germany and France support the development of the electric propulsion autonomous forklift segment. Furthermore, global autonomous forklift OEMs are relocating their operations in the region. The technology transfer has led to growth in the number of local players which is expected to reduce the cost of autonomous forklift adaptation in the region. Hence the region is expected to increase its share during the forecast period.

In-depth interviews were conducted with CXOs, VPs, directors from business development, marketing, product development/innovation teams, independent consultants, and executives from various key organizations operating in this market.

• By Company Type: OEM - 70%, Others – 30%

• By Designation: D Level - 30%, C Level - 60%, and Others - 10%

• By Region: Asia Pacific - 60%, Europe - 20%,  North America - 10%, and Rest of the World – 10% 

The autonomous forklift market comprises prominent players such as Toyota Industries Corporation (Japan), Kion Group AG (Germany), Mitsubishi Logisnext Co Ltd (France), Jungheinrich AG (Germany), and Hyster-Yale Materials Handling (US).  

Research Coverage:

The study segments the autonomous forklift market and forecasts the market size based on Tonnage Capacity (<5, 5-10, >10), Navigation Technology (Laser, Vision, Optical Tape, Magnetic, Inductive Guidance), Sales Channel (In-house Purchase, Lease), Application, End-Use Industry, Type (Indoor, Outdoor), Propulsion and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World).

The study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key players in the market, along with their company profiles, key observations related to product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies. 

Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with the information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall autonomous forklift market and the sub-segments. This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their businesses and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.