Jungheinrich Group has reported higher sales and earnings for the first half of 2012.

The Hamburg-headquartered forklift manufacturer reports that the value of its incoming orders for all business areas for the first half of 2012 totaled EUR1.140 billion, compared to the previous year's EUR1.135 billion (USD1.459 billion).

Consolidated net sales rose by 9% to EUR1.074 billion (USD1.380 billion) in the first half of 2012 compared to the prior year's EUR987 million (USD1.269 billion). At EUR289 million (USD371 million), domestic sales in the first six months of 2012 were up about 10% from the previous year's EUR264 million (USD339 million). Foreign sales advanced by 9% to EUR785 million (USD1.009 million), compared to the previous year's EUR723 million (USD929 million).

All of the business areas contributed to this growth. The largest gain was recorded by new truck business, which achieved a rate of increase of 12%, driving up sales to EUR573 million/USD736 million from the prior year's EUR510 million/USD656 million. The short-term hire and used equipment business expanded by 9% to EUR183 million/USD235 million (up from EUR168 million/USD216 million). Net sales generated by after-sales services climbed by 5% to EUR331 million/USD425 million (from EUR316 million/USD406 million in the previous year).

The Jungheinrich Group's net income rose to EUR53.2 million (USD68.4 million) in the first half of 2012 (prior year: EUR48.8 million/USD62.7 million).

The company expects the moderate growth of world trade to persist, continuing to display significant regional differences over the remaining course of the year.

The group also expects the global materials handling equipment market to shrink by a mere 2% to approximately 960,000 units.

Based on the forecasted market trend and "on condition that the development of business witnessed in the first six months continues commensurately", Jungheinrich expects its incoming orders to exceed EUR2.2 billion (USD2.8 billion) along with consolidated sales of more than EUR2.1 billion (USD2.7 billion).

Hans-Georg Frey, chairman of the board of management of Jungheinrich AG, says: "We are monitoring the Eurozone's economic trend and the effects it may have on our markets very carefully."

Worldwide demand in the first half of 2012 totaled 489,200 trucks, 3% down on the 505,200 units recorded a year earlier. Europe, Jungheinrich's core market, experienced a downturn of 8%. Western and Eastern Europe accounted for drops of 9% and 4%, respectively. Asia's market volume contracted by 3% compared to the first half of 2011, marked by a disproportionately steep decline of the Chinese market. The North American market posted a 9% increase.