Forklift Sales Rise 11.7% in H1 2025

According to the latest statistics from the China Construction Machinery Industry Association, China's forklift industry delivered another impressive performance in June 2025, with sales of 137,570 forklifts of all types reaching 23.1% year-on-year, continuing the industry's steady growth momentum this year. This data not only reflects the continued recovery of China's manufacturing industry but also highlights the increasing competitiveness of domestic forklift brands in the global market and the new momentum driven by intelligent transformation.

June Sales Growth Across the Board

Data shows that in June 2025, the Chinese forklift market saw encouraging growth in both domestic and foreign sales. Domestic sales reached 83,892 units, a year-on-year increase of 27.3%, with the growth rate further accelerating compared to the previous month. Exports reached 53,678 units, a year-on-year increase of 17.2%, continuing its steady growth. Cumulative sales from January to June reached 739,334 units, an 11.7% year-on-year increase. Domestic sales totaled 476,382 units (a year-on-year increase of 9.79%), while exports totaled 262,952 units (a year-on-year increase of 15.2%).

This significant growth is due to the following factors: first, the continued recovery in the manufacturing sector, with the manufacturing PMI new orders index rising above the boom-bust line of 50.2% in June; second, steady growth in warehousing and logistics demand, with total social logistics volume increasing by 5.3% year-on-year in May; and third, a relatively low base year-on-year. Looking at the segmented models, forklift sales excluding electric walkie-talkie warehouse vehicles (sub-category) reached 53,266 units in June, up 14.5% year-on-year. Of these, 34,899 units were sold domestically (up 15.3% year-on-year) and 18,367 units were exported (up 13% year-on-year), indicating stronger demand in the large-tonnage forklift market.

Data on working hours and utilization rates indicate strong demand for forklifts. In June, the operating hours for major construction machinery products totaled 77.2 hours, while forklifts reached a staggering 92.7 hours. The utilization rates for major construction machinery products were 57%, while forklifts were 53%, reflecting the fundamental role of logistics and handling equipment in industrial production.

Globalization has yielded significant results, with European and American markets rebounding.

Forklift exports outperformed domestic sales in the first half of the year, with cumulative exports increasing by 15.2%, exceeding the 9.79% growth rate for domestic sales. Regionally, exports to North America and Western Europe showed signs of recovery in June. In US dollar terms, forklift exports to North America increased by 1.17% year-on-year (a significant improvement from May), while exports to Western Europe increased by 28.81%. North America's market share rebounded to 18.02%, while Western Europe's share was 14.03%. This change is closely related to the improvement of the overseas policy environment. The easing of U.S. tariff policies and the tax reduction plans introduced by European countries such as Germany (including accelerated depreciation, reduction of corporate income tax, R&D incentives, etc.) have effectively stimulated corporate investment willingness, thereby driving the demand for forklifts, which are basic equipment in the manufacturing and logistics industries.

Intelligent transformation is accelerating, with unmanned forklifts becoming a new growth driver.

Unmanned forklifts, with their advantages of higher load capacity, more accurate navigation and positioning, and smarter dispatching systems, are expanding their application beyond logistics and warehousing to include industrial manufacturing, food and beverage, and other industries. With the advancement of artificial intelligence and automation technologies, the forklift industry is undergoing an intelligent and unmanned upgrade. While more expensive, unmanned forklifts are more economical, and their increasing penetration is expected to boost industry profits.

In the first half of 2025, the forklift industry achieved steady growth amidst a complex economic environment, demonstrating strong resilience. Looking ahead to the second half of the year, the industry is expected to maintain its positive development momentum, driven by the recovery of the manufacturing industry, growing demand for intelligent logistics, and expansion into overseas markets.