Report Overview

The growth of the North American Automated Material Handling Equipment Market is anticipated to be driven by the expansion of e-commerce and the emphasis on operational efficiency over the forecast period of 2024 to 2030.

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market - Industry Trends & Forecast Report, 2030

The North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market size was estimated to be worth USD 11.48 billion in 2023. During the forecast period between 2024 and 2030, the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.87%, reaching a value of USD 18.09 billion by 2030. Major growth factors for the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market include expanding industrial production and increasing demand to improve efficiency and product quality. Moreover, the rising integration of advanced technologies, such as AI, IoT, and machine learning, into material handling and industrial processes is anticipated to drive the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market over the forecast period.

Automated Material Handling Equipment – Overview

Automated material handling systems transport, lift, pull, push, store, and retrieve goods using robots and electronic equipment rather than human labor. Examples of automated material handling equipment are pallet lifting devices, industrial lifting devices, conveyors, and heavy equipment box lifts. It removes the requirement for human labor inside the manufacturing plant. This lowers operating expenses and potentially dangerous physical labor while increasing operational efficiency, responsiveness, uniformity, and predictability. Conveyors, robots, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and sorting systems are some of the most prominently used varieties of automated material handling systems.

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market

Growth Drivers

Rising Integration of Cutting-edge Technologies

The Automation Material Handling Market is the integration of various advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), advanced robotics, and others, which is anticipated to offer lucrative growth opportunities to the market in the North America region. To enable increased automation and visibility levels, for example, the Internet of Things (IoT) will make it easier for forklifts, conveyors, automated storage and retrieval systems, and other equipment in the warehouse to coordinate and communicate with one another. Robotics and automation have made it possible for warehouses to automate labor-intensive operations like picking and boxing goods. The recent unification of European and American standards for collaborative robots—robots that operate in shared areas with humans—will promote the development of robotics technology for warehouse applications.

Challenges

High Switching Cost from Manual to Automation

The high cost of switching from manual to automated processes may limit the use of automation in material handling, particularly in small and medium-sized businesses. The implementation of automation necessitates a substantial initial outlay for switching since it requires investments in hardware, such as sortation systems and IoT sensors, as well as software, such as warehouse management systems. Additionally, annual maintenance, software licensing, and updates are required for these automation systems, which might further restrict the market for automated material handling equipment adoption.

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market

Segmental Coverage

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market – By Product

Based on product, the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market is segmented into robots, ASRS, conveyors and sortation systems, cranes, WMS, and AGV. The robots segment accounts for the highest share of the market and is projected to register growth at a high CAGR during the forecast period as well. The rising integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), is offering lucrative growth opportunities to the market. The warehouse management system (WMS) is also expected to grow significantly over the forecast period.

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market – By System Type

Based on system type, the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market is split into unit load material handling and bulk load material handling segments. The unit load material handling segment holds a larger share in the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market. The growth of the segment is mainly attributed to improved efficiency, safer handling of containers, and reduced accidents at warehouses. These unit loads are considered safer in container handling and reduce product waste and handling costs by limiting manhandling.

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market – By Vertical

Based on vertical, the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market is segmented into automotive, metals & heavy machinery, food & beverages, chemicals, healthcare, 3PL, semiconductor & electronics, aviation, e-commerce, and others. The e-commerce segment accounts for the highest share of the market. The presence of major e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Costco, and others, along with the changing lifestyles and increasing disposable income of consumers, results in large volumes of orders. As a result, the demand for automated material handling equipment is rising in the e-commerce sector to improve efficiency and reduce the need for manual labor.

North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market – By Country

The in-depth research report on the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market covers the market in the United States and Canada. The United States dominates the North America automated material handling equipment market owing to its high industrial production. The US manufacturing output will account for 16% in 2021 and rank second after China, according to Cato Org, an American libertarian think tank. The manufacturers in the region are significantly investing in automation to reduce their operational costs and tackle surging labor costs, which is directly fueling the demand for automated material handling equipment in the country.

Competitive Landscape

Major players operating in the North America Automated Material Handling Equipment Market include Honeywell Intelligrated, Dematic, SSI Schaefer, Murata Machinery, USA, Inc., Swisslog Holding AG, Kardex Group, Vanderlande Industries, BEUMER Group, and Westfalia Technologies, Inc.

To further enhance their market share, these companies employ various strategies, including mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, joint ventures, license agreements, and new product launches.

Recent Developments

• In August 2023 – Duravant, a global automation equipment company based in the United States, acquired National Presort LP (NPI), a provider of automated sortation solutions to expand their material handling equipment portfolio.

Scope of the Report

By Product

• Robots

• ASRS

• Conveyors & Sortation Systems

• Cranes

• WMS

• AGVs

By System Type

• Unit Load Material Handling

• Bulk Load Material Handling

By Vertical

• Automotive

• Metals & Heavy Machinery

• Food & Beverages

• Chemical

• Healthcare

• 3PL

• Semiconductor & Electronics

• Aviation

• E-commerce

• Others

By Country

• United States

• Canada