The market for industrial trucks is closely correlated with macroeconomic conditions. The statements below should therefore be read in the context of the conditions described above. If the performance of the global economy is adversely impacted by unforeseen exogenous factors, the consequences will also affect the industrial trucks market. From the current perspective, it is not possible to determine the extent, the timing or the likelihood of these exogenous factors.
Based on the assumption that the global economy will cool off in 2012 and in view of the high market volume in 2011, growth prospects for industrial trucks will be lower this year in all regions. On the one hand, the market situation looks likely to adapt to the economic cycle while, on the other, investing activities are expected to be more subdued in a macroeconomic context. The KION Group therefore anticipates moderate growth of around 2 per cent in the global market for industrial trucks in 2012. As far as 2013 is concerned, the KION Group expects the sector's prospects to improve in line with economic forecasts.
The KION Group predicts that truck capacity utilisation and usage in 2012 will remain roughly the same in the western European market, although the situation will vary between the individual countries. In eastern Europe, the markets are expected to recover further and will therefore significantly stronger growth than western Europe. The US market points to continued stabilisation with moderate growth. The KION Group expects growth in the emerging markets to continue to normalise but to remain far higher overall than in the advanced markets.
