According to the latest statistics from the China Construction Machinery Association on major forklift manufacturers, the overall sales volume of my country's forklift industry maintained a growth trend in January 2026. The export market saw particularly significant growth, becoming a highlight of the month's data.
Total sales increased by 51.4% year-on-year, with a rebound in the domestic market base.
Statistics show that in January 2026, the entire industry sold 141,743 forklifts of various types, a 51.4% increase compared to the same period last year. Domestic sales reached 89,716 units (including 775 AGVs), a 63.3% year-on-year increase.
The data suggests that the low base in the same period last year is one of the important reasons for the large year-on-year increase. The recovery in the domestic market reflects, to some extent, the routine demand from companies for pre-holiday stockpiling and logistics equipment upgrades. While AGV products are listed separately in the statistics, the 775 units sold represent a small proportion and have not yet had a significant impact on the overall market structure.
The export market saw rapid growth, with some categories increasing by nearly 47%.
Export performance was relatively outstanding this month. Data shows that in January, total forklift exports reached 52,027 units (including 96 AGVs), a year-on-year increase of 34.4%. Excluding electric pedestrian warehouse vehicles, exports of other forklift categories totaled 19,292 units, a year-on-year increase of 46.9%, a considerable growth rate.
Industry analysts believe that the rapid export growth is partly due to the cost-effectiveness advantage of Chinese forklifts in the international market, and partly reflects a recent recovery in demand in some overseas markets. However, given the continued uncertainty in the global trade environment, whether exports can maintain this growth rate remains to be seen.
Product Structure: Increased Proportion of Electric Pedestrian Warehouse Vehicles
In terms of product structure, forklift sales excluding electric pedestrian warehouse vehicles totaled 50,878 units in January, a year-on-year increase of 28.7%. Domestic sales accounted for 31,586 units, a year-on-year increase of 19.6%. This data, compared to total sales including electric pedestrian warehouse vehicles, indicates that the latter's share of total sales increased this month, reflecting relatively strong recent demand for lightweight and electrified equipment in the warehousing and logistics sector.
Overall, the forklift industry had a stable start in January 2026, with both domestic and export sales achieving year-on-year growth. The export market performed particularly well, while the extent of the recovery in the domestic market and its future trend remain to be seen after observing the overall data from the first quarter.
