We get asked a lot about the major trends impacting, and influencing, the MEWP industry in the coming years, such as technology, machine sizing and so on.
What we see right now, in 2022, is that there is a large focus in the MEWP industry on adopting and utilizing connected and sustainable technologies, as well as an increasing demand for compact equipment — and on the other end of the spectrum, higher-capacity equipment.
These trends are driven by things like electrification, urbanization and the productivity imperative — people are being asked to do more with less, in tighter spaces, under stringent time and budget demands in a manner that is minimally disruptive to the environment.
For example, with electrification, as more construction, remodeling and maintenance tasks occur in heavily populated, urbanized areas, the MEWP industry needs to comply with ever increasing noise and air pollution requirements. These stricter restrictions in environmentally sensitive areas and indoor applications, are shifting equipment owners and end users to selecting machines with just enough engine power and/or switching to hybrid engine/battery or exclusive battery power where feasible. This is driving demand for more electrified models — in fact, urbanization is leading us towards a future where electric MEWPs may eventually replace many traditional internal combustion (IC)-powered vehicles on select work sites.
Many JLG® MEWPs are already electric. In these models, it’s not only for the environmental benefits, but also for the desire to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). All-electric scissor lifts, like our DaVinci lift, powered by lithium-ion batteries, rather than traditional flooded lead acid (FLA), will lower overall TCO by 30-40%*.
We are also following trends in battery technology, watching how advances are taking the industry from FLA batteries, which have been around for a long time, to lithium-ion options. And, we believe there's so much more out there that may be coming to the industry in the future — we are looking towards technology and resources that could power our heavier equipment, like larger JLG boom lifts, in the future.
Job site connectivity is also an important trend impacting the MEWP industry. Companies continue to move from one way connectivity found in today’s telematics to fully integrated two-way interactivity. By better utilizing the data, machine downtime can be minimized through remote diagnostics and troubleshooting, as well as predicting upcoming maintenance needs and proactively scheduling routine service, from installing software updates to stocking the right parts, at the right time, for quicker serviceability.
A final trend to mention is the increasing demand for machine automation, such as mobile control capabilities, and active safety technologies, like obstacle detection systems and sensors. These “moments of autonomy” are designed to mitigate job site risks for equipment users, as well as introduce new opportunities to interact with these types of machines.
Hearing about the autonomous work sites can sound like some far-off concept, one that’s still years down the road — but, it’s actually closer than you think.
For example, in the not-so-distant future, we may also see the integration of robotics with MEWPs, not to replace humans, but to complete repetitive tasks and/or work in particularly hazardous environments where we don’t want to put people.
Another question we get asked is if there any particular types of MEWP that we see taking off because of these market trends? What we are seeing is that all product classes are in high demand at the moment.
That said, there are a few key trends causing specific category growth in the coming year, including urbanization, the rise of warehouse construction and data center growth.
Urbanization — Population growth and a larger percentage of families gravitating towards city centers is resulting in buildings that are taller with narrower space between them. With that, the demand for compact equipment, higher capacity models and higher reaching machines is on the rise — everything from micro scissor lifts to our ultra boom lifts. JLG’s smallest scissor lifts, the 13-, 15- and 19-ft models, as well as our mid-sized boom lifts, the 40-, 60- and 80-ft models, are ideally spec’d for work in urban areas, and we continue to see high demand for these products year-over-year.
Warehousing — One only needs to drive down any major Interstate to observe the increase in warehouse construction. Going back even a few years, online shopping was not what it is today, and the pandemic further accelerated online demand. Warehouse construction often requires continuous placement of utilities at a fixed height along the length of a building. To match this application, electric machines, particularly higher lifting scissor lifts like our 40- and 47-ft models, offer this capability.
Data Centers — The world continues to become more and more connected. That means data center construction is also on the rise. Indoor work at data centers, requires lightweight, environmentally friendly machines that can be operated in confined areas or on suspended floors with weight restrictions and in between sensitive storage systems, servers and application delivery controllers. This is one type of application where electric machines, like the DaVinci all-electric lift shine.
*A figure arrived at by reviewing thousands of rental company maintenance records and Rouse resale values compared to the expected parts replacements and operational benefits that equipment models like the JLG all-electric DaVinci lift bring.
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