1. SAFETY FIRST: GOING BEYOND COMPLIANCE Safety will remain the top priority for businesses operating material handling equipment in 2026. According to the British Safety Council around 1,300 people a year are involved in forklift related accidents. Several are fatal. Failure to maintain a safe working environment can have dire legal consequences for a business and its directors, so getting the best value from a truck in terms of safety is now widely seen as absolutely essential. Ensuring that trucks are correctly
critical safety equipment will be of primary concern. Sealed disc brakes, automatic parking brakes, speed limiters, anti-collision and ‘pedestrian awareness’ projected blue to vehicles as a matter of course. This trend is set to develop further in 2026 with the introduction of further advanced safety features from a number of OEMs. Vehicle design and safety features go
across makes. So, selecting well- engineered, intrinsically safe warehouse and counterbalance trucks suited to each individual task is becoming more complex and increasingly important, making mixed growing trend. Comprehensive operator training
programmes and thorough vehicle maintenance regimes will also play a goods and equipment in 2026. Many organisations will be seeking to go beyond mere legal compliance in order to build a strong culture of safety in the workplace.
2. SUSTAINABILITY AS A COMPETITIVE EDGE Sustainability is now a major agent of change in the warehouse, and 2026 will see initiatives for on-site power generation, smart HVAC heating and cooling systems, and critically, a continuation of a major shift to electric forklift trucks. Demand from consumers and regulators for greener business practices, along with increasing supply chain compliance measures to reduce carbon-emissions, have created a sea- change in the way energy and resources are used within the warehouse. As many organisations have realised, the adoption of green power has the potential to create a competitive edge for winning new business.
3. ELECTRIC FORKLIFTS TO GAIN MOMENTUM The long established 60-40 market split between IC and Electric counterbalance forklift trucks, once in favour of diesel, is now seeing a dramatic shift, and it’s set to continue apace in 2026. Electric models are fast becoming the preferred choice as purchasers seek to improve their environmental performance in the wake of societal
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TRENDS SET TO IMPACT MATERIAL HANDLING IN 2026
By Craig Davenport, Sales Director, Rushlift
Warehouses, transport hubs and fulfilment centres will be under immense pressure to perform in 2026. But what are the key trends and influences driving change? Craig sets the scene.
demands for sustainability and tightening EU regulations on carbon, nitrogen oxide and particle emissions. Importantly, established and fast-developing
battery technology supports the move. Electric counterbalance trucks are now fully capable of working outside, eight hours a day, in dirty and dusty environments such as builder’s yards and industrial sites. And heavy lifting is no longer the sole domain of IC engine vehicles, as electric models with capacities up to 8,000kg and above are now in wide use. Electric trucks are cleaner, quieter and
cheaper to maintain, however, there are choices to be made over battery type and charging options. Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly seen in fast-moving, multi-shift operations but it’s essential to have adequate time set aside for top-up charging throughout a shift. In many instances lead-acid remains the best option. Although IC engine forklifts may still
be preferred for particular applications, hydrogen fuel options may soon be seen more widely in use, as buyers move away from
carbon-based fuels such as diesel and LPG. A trend that may well gather pace in 2026.
4. DRIVE FOR FLEXIBILITY AND AGILITY WILL BOOST MIXED FLEETS Increasingly, organisations are uncertain about the future demands on the business and what changes may be required within promotional activity, resulting in sharper peaks? Or could there be longer, extended peak periods, with a greater number of radically expand, and how might new, spontaneous marketing initiatives impact operational processes? There are many unknowns ahead for
businesses in 2026. So, if companies are to minimise risk and respond quickly to change, greater operational agility will be required to provide the responsiveness that customers expect, and the resilience logistics practitioners are looking for. be core attributes required of the materials
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