Anyone who buys a forklift today is no longer buying a machine, but a vehicle for energy policy. While we're still debating forks and masts, power is shifting to those who control the battery cell and the data. Are we looking at the wrong industry? An analysis of the invisible transformation of the logistics sector.
1. What if the forklift market is no longer a forklift market?
Today, more than 2 million forklifts are produced worldwide each year.
More than half of that comes from China.
That figure alone puts things into perspective.
But more important than volume is the shift in technology.
In Europe, more than 60% of new forklifts sold are now electric.
The share of lithium-ion is growing annually by double digits.
So what if we no longer look at a “forklift market”,
but towards a battery-driven industrial market?
Whoever checks the battery checks:
- cost price
- charging infrastructure
- maintenance logic
- lifespan
- data
Today, China produces more than 70% of the world's battery cells.
That's not a detail.
That is structural power.
The forklift truck thus becomes a vehicle for energy policy.
And suddenly we no longer look at forks and masts,
but to value chains.
2. What if scale is not a price advantage, but a tool of power?
China not only produces a lot.
It produces for a huge domestic market.
Scale means:
- Faster R&D payback time
- Vertical integration of components
- Bargaining power in steel and raw materials
This isn't a “low wage” story anymore.
That's industrial strategy.
By comparison, India still produces significantly less internal transport equipment today, but has a median age of around 28 years and a rapidly growing logistics market.
What if India becomes the next pool of scale?
What if the market develops into two Asian production poles,
with Europe as a specialized niche and service region?
That is not an ideology.
That's demography + economics.
3. What if Europe doesn't lose, but transforms?
Europe produces less volume than China.
That is a fact.
But Europe has:
- High-quality niche expertise
- Strong service networks
- Strict safety standards
- Focus on TCO and uptime
What if Europe doesn't compete on scale,
but on system integration and reliability?
Then the competitive demand changes.
Not:
“Who is cheaper?”
But:
“Who best manages their part of the value chain?”
4. What does this mean for the entrepreneur?
For the Belgian entrepreneur, the question is fundamentally shifting.
Not:
“Is this Chinese or European?”
But:
“Where is the structural stability in the chain?”
- Who controls batteries?
- Who controls parts?
- Who has scale?
- Who has service?
Anyone who invests today without asking these questions,
doesn't buy a machine, but an outdated frame.