According to the latest statistics from the Korea Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (KOCEMA), forklift sales growth in Korea for 2004 was the largest in five years, increasing 32 per cent from 22,008 to 29,058.

It was the second time Korean forklift sales achieved double-digit percentage growth.

In 2004, Korean forklift manufacturers produced 29,375 forklifts, a 30.6 per cent increase from 2003's total of 22,490.

Thirty per cent of the forklifts were for domestic consumption and 70 per cent were exported. Domestic consumption increased 2.2 per cent and exports increased 50.9 per cent.

Forklift sales grew 2.4 per cent in 2003, 6.8 per cent in 2002, 17.4 per cent in 2001 and 6.8 per cent in 2000.