The factors behind fleet reductions

Diesel on the way down(% saying yes)

Diesel

Gasoline

Compressed natural gas (CNG)

Liquid petroleum gas (LPG)

Hybrid

Truck productivityIncreased availability

of fleet usage dataWarehouse 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 56 440 33 670

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

3.32.3

On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 = will not utilize, 5 = will utilize

3.7 3.8

3.51.0

3.21.0

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)