Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

inbound

You heard it here first ...

We pulled aside some of the lift truck vendors at this year's ProMat Show to ask what's new. Here's what they told us.

Trade shows aren't just about the exhibits. They also offer a chance to talk with vendors and other experts about industry trends. While we were at the biennial ProMat material handling show, we took advantage of the opportunity to meet with some lift truck makers and ask them what's new. Here's a quick summary of what we learned.

  • The need to meet new Tier 4 Environmental Protection Agency regulations for diesel lift trucks will present a challenge for manufacturers. Jeff Rufener, president of Toyota Material Handling USA, said that Toyota would announce a new product in the category later in the year that will offer better fuel efficiency than what is currently available. This new product will help offset the higher acquisition cost for the new lower-emission engines.
  • Industrial truck sales took a beating during the recession but are pretty much back to normal now, though not quite to 2008 levels, said Timothy S. Quellhorst, senior vice president at Crown Equipment Corp. Internal combustion (IC) vehicles took the biggest hit, with sales dropping by as much as 50 percent during the lowest point. That's because they're used mostly in manufacturing, which was severely affected by the economic slowdown. IC sales are bouncing back now as U.S. manufacturing revives.
  • When it comes to what customers want in a lift truck, a few notable trends have emerged, said Bill Pfleger, president of Yale Distribution. Users want flexible models that can adapt to changes in their operations—for instance, when a company jumps into e-commerce fulfillment. They're also looking for features (like easier steering) that take strain off the operator as a way of keeping productivity high throughout the day. Features that promote safety and reduce equipment and product damage are also in high demand—for example, telematics that alert managers when drivers cause impacts and make drivers more accountable for their actions. But buyers still want to hold down costs. Both Yale and sister company Hyster have responded by introducing a remanufactured truck option that involves a 200-point inspection and the replacement of certain parts.

The Latest

More Stories

Report: Five trends in AI and data science for 2025

Report: Five trends in AI and data science for 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) and data science were hot business topics in 2024 and will remain on the front burner in 2025, according to recent research published in AI in Action, a series of technology-focused columns in the MIT Sloan Management Review.

In Five Trends in AI and Data Science for 2025, researchers Tom Davenport and Randy Bean outline ways in which AI and our data-driven culture will continue to shape the business landscape in the coming year. The information comes from a range of recent AI-focused research projects, including the 2025 AI & Data Leadership Executive Benchmark Survey, an annual survey of data, analytics, and AI executives conducted by Bean’s educational firm, Data & AI Leadership Exchange.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

aerial photo of port of miami

East and Gulf coast strike averted with 11th-hour agreement

Shippers today are praising an 11th-hour contract agreement that has averted the threat of a strike by dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports that could have frozen container imports and exports as soon as January 16.

The agreement came late last night between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) representing some 45,000 workers and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) that includes the operators of port facilities up and down the coast.

Keep ReadingShow less
Logistics industry growth slowed in December
Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics industry growth slowed in December

Logistics industry growth slowed in December due to a seasonal wind-down of inventory and following one of the busiest holiday shopping seasons on record, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, released this week.

The monthly LMI was 57.3 in December, down more than a percentage point from November’s reading of 58.4. Despite the slowdown, economic activity across the industry continued to expand, as an LMI reading above 50 indicates growth and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

Keep ReadingShow less
forklifts in warehouse

Demand for warehouse space cooled off slightly in fourth quarter

The overall national industrial real estate vacancy rate edged higher in the fourth quarter, although it still remains well below pre-pandemic levels, according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield.

Vacancy rates shrunk during the pandemic to historically low levels as e-commerce sales—and demand for warehouse space—boomed in response to massive numbers of people working and living from home. That frantic pace is now cooling off but real estate demand remains elevated from a long-term perspective.

Keep ReadingShow less
drawing of warehouse for digital twin

Kion Group teams with Accenture and Nvidia to design intelligent warehouses

German lift truck giant Kion Group will work with the consulting firm Accenture to optimize supply chain operations using advanced AI and simulation technologies provided by microchip powerhouse Nvidia, the companies said Tuesday.

The three companies say the deal will allow clients to both define ideal set-ups for new warehouses and to continuously enhance existing facilities with Mega, an Nvidia Omniverse blueprint for large-scale industrial digital twins. The strategy includes a digital twin powered by physical AI – AI models that embody principles and qualities of the physical world – to improve the performance of intelligent warehouses that operate with automated forklifts, smart cameras and automation and robotics solutions.

Keep ReadingShow less