US industry body MHEDA (Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association) has released the findings of its inaugural Industry Sentiment Report, indicating growing confidence across the United States’ materials handling sector, while labour shortages and economic uncertainty remain concerns for the upcoming Q4.

The report, which was developed in partnership with market intelligence business Interact Analysis, also reveals the vast majority of manufacturers expect new orders to increase in the current quarter, as do the majority of systems integrators.

Almost two-thirds of survey respondents expect new orders to increase in the next three months on the back of stronger demand, which is expected to help rebuild backlogs and support larger deal sizes.

Interestingly, the 12-month outlook also remains positive across major industry segments.

“While members reported mixed business conditions over the previous three months, expectations improve considerably looking ahead, with stronger demand, continued hiring and larger opportunities anticipated across several industry segments,” MHEDA states.

“Challenges remain. Talent acquisition, retention and workforce demographics were the most frequently identified concerns, followed by economic uncertainty, tariffs and markets conditions, as well as sales, customer demand and buying behaviour.

“The Q3 results show an industry looking ahead with greater confidence. Members are anticipating stronger demand and investing in their workforce while continuing to navigate economic uncertainty, profitability pressures and talent challenges.

“Future quarterly reports will provide an ongoing benchmark for tracking how these conditions and expectations evolve.”

The MHEDA Industry Sentiment Report will be published quarterly.