Moran says automation and efficiencies are becoming more popular among those making lift trucks and those buying them. “There’s a lot of conversation around driverless lift trucks, if not a lot of business,” he says. “All of that is still developing. It’s too early to realize how the warehouse would have to change if its lift trucks were driverless. There are infrastructure, safety, security and support concerns, and it’s too early to know.”

Last year, Moran noted an increased interest in green and sustainable objectives with regard to using and powering lift trucks. “The green initiative is kind of a given now,” he says. “You have to be focused on it and be able to communicate that the initiatives make good business sense.”

In the year to come, Moran says he will be watching the initial public offering (IPO) of Kion. “Many are interested in what the Chinese influence on that company might be down the road,” he says. “That could impact the North American market as they add products.”

With regard to the economy, Moran says industry growth will continue at a similarly slow rate as the overall economy. “That said, we’re rapidly approaching the point where we can be slightly more optimistic rather than maintaining this cautious optimism,” he adds.

How the suppliers are ranked
To be eligible for Modern’s annual Top 20 lift truck suppliers ranking, companies must manufacture and sell lift trucks in at least one of the Industrial Truck Association’s seven truck classes: electric motor rider; electric motor hand trucks; internal combustion engine; pneumatic tire; electric and internal combustion engine tow tractors; and rough terrain lift trucks.

Rankings are based on worldwide revenue from powered industrial trucks during each company’s most recent fiscal year. Revenue figures submitted in foreign currency are calculated using the Dec. 31, 2012 exchange rate.

ITA’s lift truck classes

The Industrial Truck Association has defined seven classes of lift trucks, or forklifts, which are defined by the type of engine, work environment, operator position and equipment characteristics.

Forklift classes include:
• Class 1: electric motor trucks with cushion or pneumatic tires
• Class 2: electric motor narrow aisle trucks with solid tires
• Class 3: electric hand trucks or hand/rider trucks with solid tires
• Class 4: internal combustion engine sit down rider forklifts with cushion tires, suitable for indoor use on hard surfaces
• Class 5: internal combustion engine sit down rider forklifts with pneumatic tires, suitable for outdoor use on rough surfaces
• Class 6: electric or internal combustion engine powered, rider units with the ability to tow (rather than lift) at least 1,000 pounds
• Class 7: almost exclusively powered by diesel engines with pneumatic tires, these units are suitable for rough terrain and used outdoors.

Since primarily classes one through five are used in materials handling applications inside the four walls, Modern has only specified those on our supplier table.