US material handling orders are growing

Material handling equipment new orders in the US grew 8.1% in 2014 and are forecasted to grow 9% for 2015 and 7% in 2016, according to the latest Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing Forecast (MHEM) released by the MHI.

Hal Vandiver, MHI executive consultant said, “We expect economic fundamentals to favorably support material handling equipment manufacturing expansion through 2015 and 2016.”

In addition, material handling equipment shipments grew 4.5% in 2014 and are forecasted to grow 11% in 2015 and 11% in 2016 as backlogs are reduced. US demand (shipments plus imports less exports) grew 5.4% in 2014 and are forecasted to grow 10-11% in 2015 and 9% in 2016.

Import growth in 2014 was 5%, up a point over 2013. Export growth was flat in 2014, down from 12.4% in 2012. Material handling equipment manufacturing imports are forecasted to mirror domestic demand in 2015 and 2016. Exports are expected to be flat or show very modest growth in 2015 and 2016.

The MHEM forecast of material handling equipment manufacturing is released each quarter by MHI and looks 12 to 18 months forward to anticipate changes in the material handling and logistics marketplace.

The complete report is available on the MHI web page http://s354933259.onlinehome.us/mhi-blog/