“You can’t look at 10-year plans anymore the way we used to,” says Jon Nederveld, VP commercial operations with Clark Material Handling. “We have gone from planning months and years ahead to not knowing what could happen next week.”

Nederveld’s comments mirror how many of those exhibiting or visiting LogiMAT 2026 in Stuttgart felt, not just about the materials handling sector, but the uncertainty which is currently pervading so much of world politics.

But there is also plenty of positive news with sustainability increasingly built in to many products, a new era of collaboration on the rise and, incredible advances in technology and automation.

Uncertainty continues as cause for concern

A rapidly shifting global political landscape is creating a raft of challenges for the materials handling sector, with rising prices, fears of energy shortages and war leading many customers to delay decisions around capital expenditure. 

And the flow-on effect is more uncertainty for the industry.

“Prices are going up and businesses are finding it difficult to plan because of what is happening in the Middle East,” Nederveld says. “It is taking longer for businesses to make decisions because everyone is waiting to see what is going to happen.”

Clark Europe CEO Stefan Budweit, adds that with freight charges and energy prices going up at such a rapid rate, it is now necessary “to plan for the prices to keep going up”, at a faster rate than we are used to.

Joachim Reuther, Doosan Bobcat Belgium’s product manager material handling agrees, adding that “inconsistent politics are making it difficult to plan long-term”.

A producer who asked not be named adds: “I have been in the industry for more than 30 years, and I have never felt this uncertainty”.

Matthieu Crosnier, Alstef Group’s sales director of intralogistics solutions, says he has noticed a hesitation when it comes to customers making large investment decisions, in the face of global uncertainty and rising costs.

“We are seeing a slow decision cycle,” he adds. “A lot of projects are being postponed by clients until there is more certainty.

“We are also finding there is more talk about revision pricing; price rises over a two week period can be massive.”

Massimo Palomba, mechatronic product manager and key sector manager with Italian gear motor and drive systems producer Bonfiglioli, agrees market uncertainty is slowing down customer decision-making.

“The scenario is very unclear,” he states. “Energy costs are going up, things are changing, so at the moment we are seeing customers waiting for the situation to clarify a bit.

“We are seeing some slowing down in the decision-making processes of some business and I think this will continue for now.”

An equipment manufacturer, who asked not to be named, says current geopolitical tensions had created higher prices for everything from materials to energy and transportation.

“Price uncertainty continues to rise at a time when a lot of companies are still hurting from the tariffs,” he says. “The biggest impacts are likely to be felt by those who have no manufacturing or production facilities in the US.”

Also wanting to keep their name off the record was another producer who says “no-one can be sure what the future will bring”.

“We used to think in months and decades when planning for the business, but now of a morning, I am anxious to check the news because I don’t know what it’s going to tell me each day," he adds.

“I think we have to be more creative with problem-solving and think in much shorter periods.”

Udo Schmidt, vice president Europe with Cascade Corporation, says pricing pressure continues to be a big issue faced by many in the sector.

“We need to keep finding ways to keep our prices competitive,” he says. “It’s a continuous question about how you keep prices down; efficiency is needed to be competitive.

“Everything is different compared to the past,” Schmidt muses. “Globalisation is here to stay.

“There was a big change after Covid in people and products and a big spike in demand; this is a more normal market. Now you need to be ready for what happens next, but no-one knows what that will be.”

Sustainability and collaboration

Both sustainability and collaboration - with clients and suppliers - were also key talking points among those attending LogiMAT 2026.

Crown has become an 85% radically integrated business - producing or supplying 85% of the components and materials needed for its products - allowing some insulation from the uncertainty of suppliers but also allowing it to control sustainability along its supply chain.

“Sustainability is in the core of our company DNA and we want to be as self-sustainable as possible,” Crown’s general service manager for Germany, Helmut Matschak, tells Forkliftaction News.

“From a service perspective, we saw getting parts could be a challenge [for our sustainability goals] so we decentralised parts and services, and the closer you are to the customer, the easier it is for us to help them.”

Reuther from Doosan Bobcat Belgium, also had sustainability on his mind.

“I believe the biggest opportunity in this sector today is going electric but in a sustainable way, and broadening the search for fuel sources beyond lithium-ion,” he explains.

Thomas Tersago, head of market management with materials handling equipment parts TVH Parts, concurs explaining the company has started its own circular economy by introducing a refund scheme for customers who hand in old TVH parts which are then dismantled and any usable parts recycled.

“Customers get credit for their recycled parts and it's a system which has been well adopted,” Tersago continues about the sustainable collaboration with customers. “It allows for the parts to be dismantled and we can see what parts can be repaired or re-used in the future, reducing costs and waste.”

Ralph Cox, senior vice president of Toyota Material Handling Europe, told a media event that collaboration among industry is “a key” to a healthy and thriving sector.

“We cannot do it alone anymore,” Cox says. “Companies can’t keep up with the technology and developments and customer requirements.”

This sentiment was also echoed by Ji Zhang, RoyPow’s Europe regional sales manager, who adds: “Collaboration has become more and more important with the unpredictability of policy in governments.”

The silver lining

Despite so many businesses finding delays in decision-making and price rises creating further uncertainty for the materials handing sector, there are always those who see the silver living.

Combilift CEO and co-founder Martin McVicar says while “there is no certainty in today’s world”, he can still see opportunity.

“The situation in the Middle East will drive inflation, which is a challenge, but on a positive note, when things become more expensive, people want to do more with less and we can help them with working in smaller spaces”.

George Zhang, international general manager with Chinese producer Hangcha, is also optimistic, noting “there will continue to be some uncertainty because of the war” but that China remains in a strong position to stay competitive.

“China has a stable energy supply with lower prices and we have high productivity,” Zhang continues. “This means we will be less influenced by what happens externally."

While the sense of uncertainty lingers for many about what the future holds, the record attendance at LogiMAT 2026 shows the materials handling sector is not slowing down with a strong appetite for growth, new technology and new ways of working.

Whether this means automation, collaboration, or technology we haven’t even started to imagine, the industry may be a little shaken but continues to strive forward.