Lifting & Handling Equipment Manufacturing in France - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2029)

Lifting & Handling Equipment Manufacturing in France industry analysis

In recent years, the French Lifting and Handling Equipment Manufacturing industry has been weighed down by slowing construction activity and fierce import competition. Construction activity, a pivotal driver of demand, has been particularly sluggish. A significant drop in the number of building permits being issues and a slump in residential construction activity have played a central role in dampening manufacturers’ revenue, with the number of housing starts in France currently standing below the long-term average. Meanwhile, imports, particularly from low-cost producing nations like China, have maintained a strong presence, making it tough for domestic producers to carve out a meaningful share of their home market.
Import penetration is fierce, taking up a massive chunk of domestic demand and eroding opportunities for local manufacturers. The industry's response has been marked by an increasing focus on innovation and efficiency. For example, manufacturers like Manitou Group have launched initiatives in digital transformation and sustainable manufacturing, with Manitou's 100% electric telehandler and its Manitou Connect platform showcasing the industry’s shift toward eco-friendly, smart solutions. The expanding logistics sector, with a rise in ultra-large warehouses, has provided another silver lining, driving demand for advanced lifting equipment amid soaring cargo volumes and an evolving logistics landscape. Over the five years through 2025, revenue is expected to swell at a compound annual rate of 3.8% to €9.2 billion. In 2025, revenue is projected to dwindle by 5.4% as the industry faces weak demand from the construction sector and strong import competition.
Over the five years through 2030, revenue is forecast to climb at a compound annual rate of 1.1% to reach €9.7 billion. Global competition will remain fierce in the coming years, fuelled by advanced manufacturing industries in China leveraging AI and data analytics to produce advanced lifting equipment. As a result, imports are projected to capture an even greater share of domestic demand in the coming years. Still, there's potential for growth via innovation and trade. Manufacturers can exploit the renewed emphasis on eco-friendly practices spurred by the European Green Deal. As the French economy grows, the manufacturing sector is set to rebound. This, coupled with heightened sales of freight-handling equipment, could foster favourable conditions for the industry. Manufacturers that successfully adapt to emerging sustainability trends and focus on bespoke, technologically advanced solutions will stand at the forefront of the industry’s evolution, capitalising on opportunities while more successfully navigating external challenges than companies that lag behind.

Trends and Insights

• Germany hosts the lion’s share of European manufacturing operations. According to Eurostat, in 2020, Germany led the way in lifting and handling equipment manufacturing in Europe.
• Recovering downstream markets boosts demand for industrial trucks. As pandemic-related disruptions eased over 2022 and 2023, export sales of the industry's most lucrative product, forklifts, expanded as global logistics and manufacturing sectors boosted capacity.
• The largest manufacturers export products globally. Despite having a low market share concentration, a handful of manufacturers dominate industry exports and have secured economies of scale by setting up manufacturing facilities across Europe.