The document summarizes the key findings of the 2015 Industrial Truck Association Business Trends Survey regarding trends in the North American forklift industry. The survey found that while the size of forklift fleets is declining compared to previous years, demand for diesel and gas powered trucks is also declining and alternative fuels like CNG and hybrid are rising. In addition, newer battery technologies like ultracapacitors and supercapacitors are gaining ground compared to traditional lead-acid batteries. Finally, fleet operators report that factors like increased fleet data availability, automation, and reduced operating costs most influence their decisions to reduce fleet sizes.

1. The factors behind fleet reductions
Diesel on the way down
(% saying yes)
Diesel
Gasoline
Compressed natural gas (CNG)
Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
Hybrid
Truck productivity
Increased availability
of fleet usage data
Warehouse automation
Price
Truck durability
Multi-application truck
Reduction in operating costs
Most respondents predicted that demand for diesel- and gasoline-powered
internal combustion lift trucks in North America would either stay the same
or decline over the next three years, and that CNG, LPG, and hybrid fuels will
become more common.
Only 30 percent of respondents to the 2015 survey said the size of lift truck
fleets was generally declining—a big drop from the 68 percent who said the
same in 2014. Here are the factors they believe influence fleet operators’
decisions to cut back.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
0 1 2 3 4 5
On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 = no influence, 5 = high influence
4.4
4.0
4.0
3.3
3.0
3.0
2.6
6
33
61
12
44
44
39
55
6
56
44
0
33
67
0
Increase Stay the same Decrease
Fleet data systems gain more fans
Alternative energy picks up steam
Lift truck makers predicted last summer that 2015 would bring an increase in
shipments of forklifts that utilize or offer data related to the truck, the fleet,
or the operator.
FL
Lead-acid battery
Ultracapacitor
Supercapacitor
Fuel cells
Lithium-ion
Respondents believe lead-acid batteries will continue to be the most popular
energy source for electric lift trucks in the next three years, but newer
technologies, including ultra- and supercapacitors, which give batteries and
fuel cells a quick burst of energy output, are gaining ground.
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
3.9
2.9
3.5
2.8
3.3
2.3
On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 = will not utilize, 5 = will utilize
3.7
3.8
3.5
1.0
3.2
1.0
2.4
2.3
2.3
2.5
On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 = lowest usage, 5 = highest usage
Data for the truck
Data for the fleet
Data for the operator
2015 2014
2015 2014
DCVinfographic
A snapshot
of lift truck
trends in
North America
A snapshot
of lift truck
trends in
North America
The Industrial Truck Association polls
its members annually on forklift sales
and manufacturing trends in North
America. Here are a few highlights
from the group’s 2015 Business
Trends Survey. ITA represents lift
truck makers and components/
parts suppliers that conduct business
in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
SOURCE FOR ALL DATA: INDUSTRIAL TRUCK ASSOCIATION
2015 BUSINESS TRENDS SURVEY (WWW.INDTRK.ORG)