ITA reports third consecutive year of record-breaking forklift sales in 2017

The Industrial Truck Association has announced that 2017 marked the third consecutive year of growth for North American forklift truck sales.

ITA reports sales of more than 250,000 units in 2017, representing a 9.5% increase from 2016 and a 12.2% increase over 2015.

“Reaching the quarter-million unit mark in sales is a major milestone for the industry,” said Brian Feehan, president of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA). All truck classes demonstrated an increase from 2016, including a 19% growth in the internal combustion class 5 trucks. Overall, electric products accounted for approximately 64% of the market in 2017.

Previously, 2015 was an all-time high for the industry with 225,534 units sold.

“The 2017 sales numbers of 253,146 exceeded most industry expectations,” said Feehan, who noted the continued expansion of e-commerce and advancements in technology coupled with solid U.S. and global economic performance as contributing factors to growth.

“This growth reflects the health and stability of the lift truck manufacturing industry,” said Scott Johnson, chairman of the ITA board of directors and vice president of marketing and sales for CLARK Material Handling Company. “In 2015 our industry contributed over $25 billion annually to the U.S. GDP and supported approximately 209,000 U.S. jobs. We are excited about how this market growth contributes to today’s economy.”

About ITA
For more than 65 years, the Industrial Truck Association has been the leading organization of industrial truck manufacturers and suppliers of component parts and accessories that conduct business in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Based in Washington, D.C., ITA maintains an influential voice in international standards development for the industry. The organization also advances engineering practices to promote safe products, disseminates statistical marketplace information, and provides industry forums for learning and networking. Visit www.indtrk.org for more.