Recently, the China Construction Machinery Association released the latest sales statistics
of the forklift industry for March 2026 and the first quarter. The recovery trend of the industrial
vehicle market is clear. The sales volume in March alone rose significantly, domestic demand
steadily recovered, the export market continued to grow at a high speed, and the penetration
rate of intelligent and unmanned forklifts steadily increased.
Forklift Data (excluding electric walking warehouse vehicles)
1. In March 2026, a total of 74,065 forklifts were sold, representing a year-on-year growth of 15.2%.
- Domestic sales: 52,292 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 15.2%
- Export sales volume: 21,773 units, up 15.4% year-on-year
2. From January to March 2026, the total sales volume of forklifts reached 155,942 units,
representing a year-on-year growth of 5.2%.
- Domestic sales: 100,931 units, a year-on-year decrease of 0.98%
- Export sales volume: 55,011 units, up 18.8% year-on-year
Overall Data of all types of forklifts (including AGVs and warehouse vehicles)
1. In March, a total of 175,971 forklifts were sold, representing a year-on-year growth of 15%.
- Domestic sales reached 120,611 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 11.8%
- Export sales volume was 55,360 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 22.4%
2. In the first quarter of 2026, the cumulative sales of all types of forklifts reached 398,612 units,
representing a year-on-year growth of 14.5%.
- Domestic sales reached 253,084 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 10.5%
- The export sales volume was 145,528 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 22.1%
In March, the market fully warmed up and entered the traditional peak season for work resumption.
The resumption of production and operation in manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, and
industrial parks accelerated, driving the concentrated release of terminal procurement demand
for forklifts. Both domestic and foreign sales achieved double-digit growth simultaneously, and
the industry's prosperity significantly improved.
The intelligent unmanned operation is accelerating its implementation. AGV unmanned forklifts
have been included in the regular statistics of the industry. The domestic and overseas shipment
volumes have been steadily increasing. Against the backdrop of warehouse automation and the
upgrading of smart logistics, intelligent industrial vehicles have become a new growth track in the
industry.
The industry structure continues to optimize. Traditional internal combustion forklifts are
steadily evolving, while the demand for lithium battery electric forklifts and environmentally friendly
and energy-saving models is on the rise. Coupled with the support of overseas orders, the pace
of high-quality development in the forklift industry is accelerating continuously.
The overall development of the forklift industry in 2026 is highly resilient, and its subsequent market
performance is worth continuous attention.
