Material Handling
World’s Most Productive Companies
Material Handling
Material Handling companies make forklifts, conveyors, cranes, and warehouse automation. Productivity tracks logistics and warehouse investment, e-commerce-driven automation demand, and the efficiency of equipment and aftermarket service. Warehouse automation and recurring service revenue are reshaping the category, rewarding makers that move beyond pure equipment.
The group was about flat in 2025, sitting about 5% below its 2019 baseline. No company in the group reached the 2026 World’s Most Productive Companies list this year. Gains were concentrated in the leaders, with most of the group giving back ground.
Productivity Snapshot
- Material Handling ranks twelfth of twenty-one Industrial Equipment peer groups in 2025, at an Industrial Productivity Index of 0.95, about 5% below its 2019 baseline.
- 1 of 7 companies grew productivity in 2025.
- No company in the group earned a place on the 2026 World’s Most Productive Companies list this year.
- The group sits modestly below its 2019 baseline, easing in 2025 as warehouse investment normalized after its pandemic-era surge.
Interested in learning more about how you stack up, where to improve, and the impact on margin, cash, inventory, and assets?