Forklift-free set to disrupt manufacturers

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About 34,900 workers are injured in forklift-related accidents annually, while nearly 100 are killed.

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The dangers are causing some of America’s largest manufacturers to retreat from forklifts. Mercedes-Benz has replaced some forklifts with autonomous vehicles, and Tesla has opted to use safer push carts or trailer-hauling “tuggers.”

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Retail orders of forklifts dropped 28% in 2023, the most significant annual decline in 14 years.

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We’re finally starting to see the manufacturing industry begin to change in response to workplace safety incidents. This could mint new business winners who create alternatives for manufacturers, ending the decades-long dominance of groups that make forklifts and other types of heavy machinery commonly involved in workplace accidents.