According to the report released by Aisem in October 2025, the Italian forklift truck market closed 2024 with 51,077 total orders, down 4.2% compared to the previous year. The analysis confirms a picture of mild contraction, with warehouse trucks accounting for the bulk of demand, representing 72.8% of all orders (37,161 units). Electric counterbalanced trucks follow with 24.4% (12,439 units), while internal combustion models make up 2.9% (1,477 units).
The summary chart produced by the manufacturers’ association highlights a three-speed market: warehouse trucks remained almost stable (-0.2%), electric counterbalanced models declined (-9%), and internal combustion trucks recorded a sharp drop (-38%). The association notes that the thermal segment already operates at low volumes, making percentage variations appear more pronounced.
Geographically, Lombardy remains in the lead with 13,110 orders (25.7% of the total), followed by Emilia-Romagna (7,173; 14.0%) and Veneto (6,628; 13.0%). Further behind are Piedmont–Aosta Valley (3,926; 7.7%) and Lazio (3,168; 6.2%). Among the mid-tier regions, Tuscany (2,690; 5.3%), Sicily (2,618; 5.1%) and Campania (2,473; 4.8%) stand out.
Compared to 2023, the territorial picture appears polarised. Sicily saw a sharp increase (+28.3%), driven by a 50% rise in warehouse trucks, while Liguria grew by 12.8% across all categories. Positive results were also recorded in Marche (+9.7%), Friuli Venezia Giulia (+7.6%) and Lazio (+5.6%), while Emilia-Romagna posted a modest expansion (+1.8%) supported by warehouse truck demand (+10.1%).
The steepest declines were recorded in Campania (-28.9%), Puglia (-25.5%), Abruzzo–Molise (-14.8%), Tuscany (-13.1%) and Trentino-Alto Adige (-10.4%). The two largest markets, Lombardy (-3.7%) and Veneto (-1.5%), reported moderate but significant drops in absolute terms, as together they account for over 38% of the national total.
From an industrial perspective, the warehouse truck segment continues to act as a cyclical cushion: its resilience (-0.2%) and dominant share make it the backbone of demand. Where warehouse truck orders rise, such as in Emilia-Romagna, Sicily and Lazio, the local market shows greater solidity. Electric models, meanwhile, are entering a phase of normalisation after the peaks of the previous two years, with widespread declines but notable regional exceptions, such as the +40.6% increase in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Internal combustion trucks, finally, confirm a structural retreat consistent with the sector’s energy transition.
Overall, 2024 saw a market slightly contracting but not in recession. The centre of gravity remains in the North, though with more dynamic trends in parts of Central and Southern Italy, where Sicily stands out as a rebound case. The next edition of the Aisem report is expected to provide insights into the stabilisation of electric trucks, the consolidation of warehouse models and the impact of local initiatives (incentives or new logistics hubs) on the regional distribution of demand.
