OUR 2026–2027 MARKET OUTLOOK
November 2026 - The forklift market is changing on several fronts at once. Our CEO Koen Lisman on how China, OEMs and scarce supply are reshaping the market, and why he expects a peak in 2028 and 2029.
The forklift market is being reshaped on several fronts: demand, competition, supply and trade. Demand for new machines is under pressure, Chinese brands are gaining ground, and manufacturers are increasingly holding on to used machines themselves. At the same time, fewer used machines are coming back to the market, and the ones that do have worked harder.
“Wholesalers that are cash-rich are sitting on good stock at the moment. But it is very likely that stock will dwindle and prices will go up,” says Koen Lisman, CEO of Lisman Forklifts.
In the full Market Outlook, Koen looks at:
- Why manufacturers are holding on to used machines
- Where Chinese brands are catching up, and where European brands still lead
- What the Covid years did to supply
- Why trade is turning local
- Why he expects a V-shaped dip, followed by a peak in 2028 and 2029