Autonomous Forklift Market Assessment, By Product Type [Pallet Stacker, Pallet Mover, Counterbalanced, Others], By Navigation System [Laser Guided, Magnetic Tape, Wire Guided, Others], By Tonnage Capacity [< 5 Tons, 5-10 Tons, > 5 Tons], By End-user Indus

Autonomous Forklift Market Assessment, By Product Type [Pallet Stacker, Pallet Mover, Counterbalanced, Others], By Navigation System [Laser Guided, Magnetic Tape, Wire Guided, Others], By Tonnage Capacity [< 5 Tons, 5-10 Tons, > 5 Tons], By End-user Industry [Automotive, Food and Beverages, E-Commerce, Others], By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, 2017-2031F

Global Autonomous forklift market size was valued at USD 5.1 billion in 2023, which is expected to reach USD 10.34 billion in 2031, with a CAGR of 9.24% for the forecast period between 2024 and 2031. Numerous advantages of robotic technology have been transforming the commercial automotive sector. Autonomous vehicles for operations like warehousing, logistics, packaging, loading, and unloading are improving productivity and reducing the operational cost. Hence, a long range of end-users are adopting autonomous forklifts.

The advent of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) has transformed industrial operations for sectors such as automotive, aviation, and food and beverage. Rapid industrialization and the cost-effective measures taken by businesses will likely propel the adoption of robotic autonomous technology.

A positive relationship between industrial automation and productivity is giving birth to concepts like smart warehouse, IoT implementation, and management systems. The expanding trade and e-commerce business followed by a higher number of warehouses and packaging line spaces require higher strength of labors. Following cost effective measures, the companies are cutting off labor hiring and putting robotic technology at work. Higher efficiency and productivity delivered through these robotic and autonomous vehicles are attracting end-users from different verticals.

Autonomous forklifts are expected to be smarter and more responsive. They will soon be able to learn from their environment, adjust to changing conditions, and make real-time decisions while being more efficient. Moreover, collaborative robotics, improved navigation, and autonomy will flourish IoT deployment and its effects. Autonomous forklift vehicles are equipped with a wide range of advanced sensors, ranging from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to cameras and radar, which enable detection and navigation more effectively in challenging conditions. These sensors offer a comprehensive view of their environment and enhance safety.

Driverless Forklifts Reduce the Impact of Labor Shortage and Operator Costs

Some of the major growth drivers of autonomous forklift market are financial bottom-line improvement and labor management capability delivered by these robotic machines. Driverless forklift eliminates the need for a human operator. The autonomy of autonomous forklifts allows them to operate 24 hours into 7 days a week, without the need for rest periods, shift modifications, or exhaustion. It provides uninterrupted and consistent service, which is especially beneficial in industries with intensive manufacturing processes. Automation of labour-intensive and repetitive tasks can lead to significant reductions in labour costs, such as wages, benefits, and training costs. Over time, these savings can lead to cost efficiencies. Autonomous forklifts can be programmed to distribute resources automatically. It allows for more efficient use of resources by distributing forklifts at the appropriate times, resulting in lower operating costs.

In September 2022, automotive giant Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) rolled out driverless forklifts for warehouse operations. The company has taken steps due to the rising e-commerce demand along with shrinking labour strength. The unmanned system consists of a forklift for collection and loading, autonomous crawlers for traversing cargo areas, and a robotic arm for sorting. The forklift utilizes laser beams to locate itself within the warehouse environment, and sensors to position its fork precisely beneath the pallet.

Efficient Material Handling and Inventory Management Leads to Market Growth

Autonomous forklifts are expected to transform the warehousing and logistics. Alongside, enhanced inventory management leads to increased space and higher storage capacity. The autonomous forklift operates continuously and accurately, resulting in efficient material handling. Its capacity to move goods quickly and efficiently, reduces the amount of time needed for loading, unloading, and transporting products.

Autonomous forklifts can be connected to inventory management systems, allowing for real-time monitoring of stock levels and locations to provide precise and timely information on inventory levels and movement. Inventory inaccuracies can be caused by human errors in the handling and storage of goods. The use of autonomous forklifts can reduce these errors, resulting in more precise inventory records and a decrease in the likelihood of stockouts or overstocking. Furthermore, the tool also strategizes implementing just-in-time inventory management that reduces inventory carrying cost. The success of this model is penetrating warehouses, packaging facilities, and e-commerce spaces.

In July 2023, Walmart announced a fully automated space at its Florida warehouse. The automation procedure has included autonomous forklift for unloading trucks, moving goods, and replacement. In the section of 1 million square foot facility that has been completed in Florida, an automated forklift is used to unload trucks, scanners are used to indicate where boxes should be placed, robotic arms are used to load or unload pallets, and robots are used to move boxes to their respective locations on shelves that extend from floor to ceiling.

Government to Support the Industrial Automation Tools to Counter Labor Shortage

Economic acceleration and annual industrial growth are dependent on the rapid innovation and addition of technological advancements. The industrial automation, utilization of IoT and AI-driven tools are anticipated to shape the future growth for these sectors as well as the nation. Government bodies often allocate research and development funding in automation and robotics. This funding helps universities, research institutes, and businesses to develop innovative technologies.

In 2020, the Indian government launched its flagship initiative named production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for promoting smart manufacturing. The PLI scheme is expected to make the End-user industries aware of the latest robotic and autonomous technologies. The initiative promotes the adoption of tools like cobots (Collaborative Robots). The initiative is launched with the expectations of thriving national economy. Moreover, another Asian economy, China has been investing in research and development for domestic high-tech industry as a part of its 14th Five-Year Plan. The directives followed in this FYP are expected to follow the adoption of information technology and automated machine tools and robotics for various sectors.

Forklifts with Less than 5 Tons Capacity Dominate the Market

Based on tonnage capacity, < 5 tons segment is expected to lead in the market. The factors contributing to the market growth are higher market demand, cost-effectiveness for medium-sized enterprises, wholesalers, and retailers. Most warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities require forklifts that can lift a payload of less than 5 tons. This category of forklifts is used in a variety of industries and applications, such as e-commerce and retail, as well as automotive and other sectors. Consequently, there is a greater need for autonomous forklift machines in this weight class.

Also, the expansion of e-commerce spaces have flourished the segmental growth as majority of e-commerce products come under this tonnage bracket. Warehouses and fulfillment centers are essential components of these platforms, as they store and manage products. These facilities typically utilize driverless forklifts to transport and process goods. As e-commerce has experienced a surge in popularity, the demand for materials handling equipment has grown significantly, with autonomous forklifts with lifting capacities of less than 5 tons being particularly sought after.

Cyngn Inc., a developer of autonomous driving solutions powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) for industrial applications, has reported that they have made considerable progress in adapting DriveMod to facilitate autonomous forklift operations. The autonomous forklift introduced by the company can carry up to 5 tons of load. The forklift utilizes its own AI and computer vision capabilities to accurately measure and evaluate pallet dimensions in a real-time environment, providing the flexibility to operate with standard pallet sizes, non-standard pallet sizes, and customized pallet sizes.

E-Commerce to Dominate with the Highest Share Amongst End-users

Based on end-user type, the market is segmented into automotive, aviation, food and beverages, and e-commerce. E-Commerce segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to the rapid expansion of e-commerce businesses and increasing demand for order fulfilment services creating demand for warehouse and distribution center automation strategies. One of these strategies involves the implementation of autonomous forklifts.

These companies are constantly facing challenge of delivering orders in a timely and precise manner. Automated forklifts can operate 24 hours into 7 days a week, without interruptions, resulting in quicker order processing and shorter delivery times. The precision of autonomous forklifts reduces the likelihood of handling and inventory mistakes, which is essential in an e-commerce sector where order precision is of the utmost importance. The cost of labor is a major expense for e-commerce businesses. Automated forklifts can eliminate the need for manual labor, resulting in cost savings for businesses in the long run.

Asia-Pacific to Lead the Market with Government Support and E-Commerce Expansion

Asia-Pacific is expected to lead the global autonomous forklift market. The growth is majorly attributed to the economic growth, manufacturing powerhouses, advanced storage spaces, and strong government support. The countries of Asia-Pacific have grown significantly over the last few decades, and this growth has led to an increase in industrialization and in the demand for automation to increase efficiency and productivity. Asia-Pacific countries, especially China in particular, are renowned as global manufacturing hubs. The reputation of these nations industrial strength attracts major automation and technology brands to take advantage of these potential markets. In April 2023, Rockwell Automation Inc. launched FactoryTalk Optix in Asia-Pacific. The platform is a cloud-enabled human-machine interface. It helps in managing remote assistance, installation, and programming of automated tools.

In January 2023, food company Danone has chosen BALYO as the supplier of forklift robots for a French plant. The company is committed to providing BALYO with the necessary resources to equip the plant with autonomous robots.

These countries have extensive manufacturing processes and industrial automation plays an integral role in sustaining competitiveness and responding to the needs of global markets. For example, the shrinking labor strength in Japan is being fixed with the automation, robotics, and IoT deployment. The shortage of workforce is expected to be fulfilled through the advanced tools and technology. Japan is expected to advance in the field of automation, robot utilization, and artificial intelligence integration into everyday life at a faster rate than other developed economies due to a variety of factors.

Impact of COVID-19

The pandemic positively impacted the industrial automation sector along with the related components. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shortage of labor due to sickness, quarantine, and safety concerns. Additionally, social distancing regulations restricted the number of workers who could be near one another. These factors increased the implementation of automation to sustain operations. Also, COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant rise in the demand for services in the e-commerce sector. As a result, warehouses and distribution centers saw an increase in order volume, necessitating the implementation of automation to meet the increased demand effectively. The pandemic hastened the adoption of asset management record solutions for material handling, such as order collection, goods transportation, and sanitization for flexibility and low human involvement.

Impact of Russia-Ukraine War

Russia-Ukraine war had an impact on automotive sector as well as industrial development. The implementation of new technologies and tools have been postponed or cancelled due to life-threatening conditions in the war-prone area. Ukraine and Russia are significant players in the international supply chain for a variety of industrial materials and technologies. The disruption of essential materials and components, including semiconductors, impacted the production and upkeep of automation equipment like autonomous. The war has led to wider economic instability, which has further influenced investment decisions in automation initiatives. Companies postponed or reduced automation programs in periods of economic uncertainty.

Key Player Landscape and Outlook

The competitive landscape for autonomous forklift market is fragmented and holds scope for market players with different technological backgrounds. Companies focus on higher accuracy, efficiency, and pricing, playing an important role in their sales. Furthermore, the integration with advanced technology such as artificial intelligence and data tracking systems are adding value to the products. Apart from AGVs, autonomous technology is in the building process and hence could be molded in any possible direction. Furthermore, the major key players focus on strategies like collaboration, acquisition, and partnerships.

In June 2023, the SoftBank Group concluded a transaction in which it acquired a 40.8% shareholding in the Balyo SA, valued at approximately USD 12.9 million. In the event of successful conclusion of the transaction, SoftBank intended to execute a compulsory squeeze-out of the remaining shares in Balyo and delist it from the stock exchange.

In March 2023, the robotics manufacturer Agilox expanded its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) fleet with the launch of its new omnidirectional “Dolly Mover”. The AMR is designed in a way that it can carry 661 pounds of weight and is suitable for electronics and pharmaceutical sector. The autonomous compact vehicle is capable of autonomously navigating its way around the warehouse, eliminating the need for companies to modify the warehouse's configuration. It utilizes an omnidirectional drive concept, allowing it to traverse the rack aisles in a transverse direction and turn on-demand. Additionally, it is equipped with Autonomous Route-finding, allowing the vehicles to maneuver around obstacles without assistance.