Despite the current slowdown in the Indian market, the material handling equipment industry is hoping for a positive change. The construction and infrastructure projects will help grow the market in India.

India is preferred as the ultimate destination of all the national and international companies, since opportunities abound and the demand is high. Even the Material Handling Equipment (MHE) segment is witnessing huge scope in the Indian market. The construction and infrastructure projects like real estate, power plants, ports, warehousing, etc., are the major demand drivers for the MHE sector. To meet the rising demand and beat the increasing competition, the material handling equipment industry is continuously upgrading itself with new and efficient technologies for the Indian market. The mechanisation and automation of products is a major focus. For example: in tower cranes, the trend is emerging towards introducing inverter drives on all the motions. This advancement offers safe and smooth handling of the equipment. It also consumes energy in a most efficient manner. Also in the case of gantry cranes, the trend is moving towards making the cranes more compact, lighter and efficient by utilising latest generation drive motors. The sophisticated computer-aided engineering (CAE) technologies for structural designs are the latest advancement. Overall, the efficient and safer equipment helps in reducing the running costs of the equipment, thereafter beneficial to the end user in the long run.

Recently, Toyota Material Handling USA (TMHU) has been ranked as No. 1 in safety with the fewest safety-related incidents and the most affordable lift trucks to maintain in terms of safety for the fourth consecutive year. Toyota's forklifts offer a number of ergonomic, productivity and durability features, and most importantly, the industry's leading safety technology.

As Tushar Mehendale, Managing Director, ElectroMech observes, "The current trend in the material handling industry is towards developing products that have enhanced levels of safety coupled with high levels of productivity. Developments are also taking place in terms of making the products more energy efficient."

Current trends in the material handling segment also pertain to manufacturing environment friendly machines. This includes the utilisation of engines with Euro-III emission standards. A shift towards LPG and CNG based machines is also highly welcomed. Most of the MHE machines are even battery powered and electric machines, therefore contributing towards green products.

With the advancements in technology and modernization, the market for material handling equipment industry, which is mainly dominated by cranes and forklifts, is expected to boom in the coming years. Some of the major players like KION Group, Toyota Material Handling, Escorts Group, Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co, ElectroMech Material Handling Systems and Elecon Engineering Co, have firmed up their positions in the Indian MHE market, while a few others are following closely. In fact, most of the Indian companies have also started collaborating with global players, eyeing a significant share of the market.

For example: The KION group has now become the sole shareholder in Voltas Material Handling (VMH), with the purchase of Voltas' 34 per cent minority shareholding.

Recent research has revealed that the Asia-Pacific market for material handling equipment is estimated to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.51 per cent over the next few years, increasing to a value of