UK industrial truck sales approaching record levels

Published:  07 January, 2008

BITA, the UK's sole provider of industrial truck sales statistics, has announced sales figures for the first half of 2007.

Figures from BITA members show a continuing recovery in the UK"s fork lift truck market, up to 31,700 annual unit orders in the second quarter of 2007. This is approaching the peak demand of 32,000 trucks last reached in early 2005. However the market volume increases have been in specific product areas rather than across all truck types generally.

In the first quarter of 2007, the market for powered pallet trucks saw a significant increase - up 18.6% compared with the same period last year. This dipped slightly in the second quarter, but still showed a 15% increase on the previous year. BITA believes the continuing growth in this sector reflects a continuing shift from manual to powered horizontal pallet movement within a wide range of firms, including the UK’s major retailers.

Engine counterbalance trucks also saw a strong resurgence, showing a 9.3% year-on-year increase in quarter one 2007, falling back slightly in quarter two to a still strong 6.7% increase. Although quarter one 2007 saw a decline in orders for electric counterbalance trucks, reach trucks and low level order pickers, these showed a move back into growth in quarter two, with order increases of 2.4%, 3.7% and 1.9% respectively.

Commenting on the latest statistics, BITA secretary general James Clark said: "It is reassuring to see our members reporting evidence of strong market performance in the first half of 2007, particularly in the powered pallet truck and engine counterbalance truck sectors.”

For further information please visit: www.bita.org.uk