Factories Shift From Forklifts in Safety Push

Some of America's biggest manufacturers are backing away from forklifts.

- BY JOHN KEILMAN

The vehicles have been integral to factories and warehouses for more than a century, but now companies are aspiring to go "forklift-free" to improve productivity and safety. Federal statistics show that each year around 7,500 workers are injured in forkliftrelated collisions, tip-overs and other mishaps, while nearly 100 are killed.

Retail orders for forklifts dropped 28% in 2023, the biggest annual decline in 14 years. Industry participants described the decline as a normalization of sales following the pandemic's warehouse construction boom.

Plastic-pipe manufacturer Ipex designed its new factory in North Carolina to minimize the use of forklifts, relying instead on overhead cranes and hand-pushed electric pallet jacks. That made the plant, which opened in 2023, a safer, quieter and less stressful workplace, said Johnny Drummond, the company's director of manufacturing.

"Employees feel like they can walk anywhere within the interior shop floor and not have to look out for forklifts," Drummond said.

Mercedes-Benz has been trying to reduce forklifts in its U.S. plants since 2018, replacing some with autonomous vehicles. Tesla is making a similar effort, using push carts and trailer-hauling "tuggers" inside its factories to cut down on traffic and injuries, a person familiar with the matter said.

Manufacturing safety consultant Larry Pearlman said that few clients a decade ago were looking for substitutes for forklifts, also known as lift trucks. Today, roughly 10% are, and he expects that portion to grow as robotic material carriers become more widespread.

"The occasional lift truck might be kept in the spare room or something, but definitely, if I'm a futurist, I see it going away," said Pearlman, founder of Safety and Consulting Associates.