The British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) is looking forward to continued market growth in 2003.

2002 was a record year for fork-lift truck orders and this success carried on through the first quarter of 2003. BITA members reported unit orders for 7,870 fork-lift trucks. This was a record number for a single quarter and 16 per cent higher than the first quarter of 2002.

In the year end to March 2003 almost 28,600 new fork-lift trucks were ordered from the UK's principal suppliers. BITA expect the market to remain buoyant during the second quarter of 2003 but after this it is expected to level out into the second half of the year.