MHI has released a report on the economic impact of the materials handling sector, estimating a headline contribution of USD173.2 billion in GDP, as well as USD39.3 billion in taxes in 2018.

The report, Handling the US Economy: The Economic Impact of the Material Handling Industry, prepared with the help of Oxford Economics, explores the relationship between materials handling and the wider economy of the supply chain, finding that "the economic contribution of this industry extends far beyond the locations where [equipment] is manufactured... or designed".

"This report shows just how important the materials handling industry is to keeping our economy thriving," says George Prest, CEO of MHI. "Not only do we provide the actual goods that handle materials, we also provide support services such as consulting, leasing and design services to generate more value throughout the supply chain and the wider economic environment."

Further key findings include:

• The materials handling industry supported nearly 1.6 million jobs in 2018 - more than 400,000 directly and almost three times as many indirect jobs in the supply chains of materials handling companies or through the wage spending of those employed by the firms themselves or their supply chains.


• While the materials handling industry has a substantial impact in every US state, the largest impact is felt in the Great Lakes region (USD50.4 billion), followed by the Southeast region (USD37.9 billion) and the Far West region (USD23.6 billion). California was the biggest beneficiary state last year, earning or generating USD18.0 billion.

To see the full report, go to mhi.org/economic-report.