Members of the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) have reported orders of over 26,800 forklifts for the 12 months to 30 June 2012.

Forklift sales orders grew by 10.6% for that period, with sales of counterbalance trucks overtaking warehouse trucks, according to the association.

As the sole provider of industrial truck sales statistics, which are contributed by (and only made available to) its members, BITA reveals that the 12 months to June 2012 saw strong sales growth for both counterbalance and warehouse trucks.

Counterbalance truck sales increased by 13.6% to 13,450 units. This was prompted by renewed investment particularly from the manufacturing and building supply sectors and by forklift suppliers renewing their aging hire fleets. Over the same period, the warehouse truck market expanded by 7.7% to 13,350 units.

BITA says counterbalance trucks outsold warehouse trucks for the first time post-recession. This development was anticipated as warehouse truck sales recovered much quicker in the immediate aftermath of the economic crash, largely due to the resilience of the UK's retail sector, which is a major user of powered pallet trucks and low-level order pickers.

James Clark, secretary general of BITA, says: "One feature that seems to be clear when looking at the UK market as a whole is that there are two distinct tiers visible. The top-tier, market-leading firms, whose customers tend to be distribution centres and supermarkets, are doing the best in the current climate. The market followers who typically supply smaller industries are experiencing more of a challenge, primarily because their own customers are still struggling."

The overall recovery in forklift orders in the UK over the past two and a half years has now brought order volumes back up to two-thirds of pre-recessionary levels.

BITA's official industrial truck sales statistics provide an exclusive snapshot of the UK market twice a year.