Unit Handling vs. Bulk Handling: Understanding the Conveyor Equipment Industry

 

Rapid industrialization and technological advancements have transformed the way manufacturing industries operate. Businesses are increasingly adopting automated machinery and advanced production techniques to improve operational efficiency, reduce labor costs, and ensure the timely delivery of quality products. Among the essential technologies supporting this transformation are conveyor systems, also known as conveying equipment. These systems play a crucial role in transporting raw materials, components, and finished products across manufacturing facilities, warehouses, distribution centers, and shipping operations.

Growing Importance of Conveyor Equipment Across Industries

Conveyor equipment has become an integral part of several industrial sectors, including durable goods, non-durable goods, and capital-intensive industries. Depending on their functionality and application, conveyor systems are broadly categorized into conventional and automated conveyors. These categories are further divided into bulk handling and unit handling equipment. In addition, conveyor parts and attachments represent an important market segment, as regular maintenance and replacement components are essential for ensuring uninterrupted operations.

Unit handling equipment emerged as the largest product segment, accounting for more than 44% of the global conveying equipment market in 2011. Its popularity can be attributed to its widespread application in industries that require the movement of individual products, packages, and smaller batches. Food and beverage processing, automotive manufacturing, logistics, and shipment operations are among the major end-use industries driving demand for unit handling conveyors.

In comparison, bulk handling equipment serves more specialized industrial applications. Due to its relatively limited scope of use and variations in industrial demand, the global bulk handling equipment market was projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8% between 2012 and 2018. Meanwhile, the market for conveyor parts and attachments was expected to remain highly attractive, with its value projected to exceed USD 8,235 million by 2018.

Regional Outlook of the Conveyor Equipment Market

Europe dominated the global conveyor equipment market in 2011, accounting for approximately 35.5% of total market share. The region's strong automotive manufacturing base was a major contributor to this growth. The presence of renowned automobile manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Ducati, and BMW, created substantial demand for advanced material handling and conveyor solutions.

Germany and France represented important markets within the region, supported by their well-established automotive and manufacturing industries. The growing adoption of automated production lines further strengthened demand for conveyor systems across European manufacturing facilities.

However, Asia Pacific was expected to emerge as a significant growth market, driven by rapid industrialization and expanding manufacturing activities in developing economies such as China and India. The region was projected to capture approximately 32% of the global conveyor equipment market by 2018.

In North America, the United States remained an important market due to its extensive manufacturing infrastructure. Following economic stabilization after the recession, industrial activities were expected to recover steadily, supporting moderate growth in demand for conveying equipment. The U.S. conveyor equipment market was projected to exceed USD 7,498 million by 2018.

Product Demand and Market Opportunities in the U.S.

The U.S. unit handling conveyor equipment market was valued at approximately USD 3,102 million in 2011. Demand was primarily supported by applications involving small-batch transportation across automotive manufacturing, food processing, shipping, and durable goods industries.

Bulk handling equipment was projected to register a CAGR of 1.9% between 2012 and 2018. Although demand was expected to experience some fluctuations due to limited product differentiation, the parts and attachments segment offered stronger growth opportunities because of its extensive application across intermediate and finished goods production.

Competitive Landscape and Key Industry Participants

The conveyor equipment market is highly fragmented, with numerous manufacturers competing across different product categories and geographical markets. In the U.S., Rexnord and Dematic collectively accounted for nearly 26% of the market in 2011.

Manufacturers typically specialize in different stages of the value chain, including equipment design, production, installation, and maintenance. Companies capable of achieving forward integration can benefit from improved cost efficiency, greater operational control, and stronger market positioning.

Some of the prominent industry participants include Dematic, Fenner Dunlop, Intelligrated Inc., Nordstrong Equipment Ltd., Rexnord, Sandvik AB, and Webster Industries.

Conclusion

The conveyor equipment industry has historically played an important role in supporting industrial automation and efficient material handling. Growing manufacturing requirements, technological innovation, and increasing demand for automated production solutions continue to highlight the importance of conveyor systems. Although the historical market projections discussed above relate to the 2012–2018 period, they demonstrate the industry's earlier growth drivers and the strategic importance of unit handling equipment, bulk handling solutions, and conveyor parts and attachments in industrial operations.

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