According to the statistics offered by Customs Service, Chinaforklift.com summed that from Jan. to Apr. in 2008, the import and export volume of construction machinery in China was 5.9 billion dollars, increasing 50% compared with last year, of which import volume was 1.96 billion dollars and export volume was 3.95 billion dollars, increasing respectively 23.7% and 69% with trade surplus of nearly 2 billion dollars.

According to the statistics, during the period from Jan. to Apr. in 2008, the total import quantum of industrial trucks in China (electric forklift, ICE forklift, container handling forklift and tractor) reached 4024 sets in the value of 100 million dollars, increasing 16% than the last year while the export quantum of such vehicles reached 53277 sets in the value of 250 million dollars, increasing 60% than the last year. Excluding tractors, it is predicated that the forklift export in the whole 2008 in China may exceed 80,000 sets (50,000 sets in 2007).

The data in details is as follows: (Jan. to Apr. in 2008)

The export of ICE forklifts reached 13274 sets with a year-on-year increase of 78.3%; export of electric forklifts reached 7057 sets with a year-on-year increase of 55.4%; in a contrast, export of the container dealing forklifts reduced a little for 33 sets, falling 8% while the export of tractors increased in an attention-attractive margin to 32895 sets with a year-on-year increase of 248.1%.

Moreover, the export increase margin of hand pallets was also worthy of concern with quantum of 559,882 sets with a year-on-year increase of 35.4%.

In a sum, we can analyze from the above data that only the export of container dealing forklifts had some reduction and that of other forklift products had all increased in a great margin. This also indicated that China is stepping into the line of strong manufacturing country on the aspect of industrial trucks. Especially in terms of hand pallet, China continued to stay at the position of manufacturing giant.

Data from China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA)

Import & Export of Industrial Trucks in China from Jan. to Apr., 2008 (Unit: 10,000 Dollars)