Procurement Market Intelligence Report

Automatic Guided Vehicles
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Automatic Guided Vehicles Global Overview

Definition

Summary

Automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) transport products without human intervention in warehouse, distribution, production, and logistic environments. AGVs are also relied on to move freight in sea, air, road, and rail transportation industries. Buyers of AGVs include manufacturers of food and beverages, automobiles, chemicals, paper, and pharmaceuticals.

This Report Includes:

  • Automated guided carts
  • Automated guided forklifts
  • Automated guided towing vehicles

Not in this Report:

  • Cranes
  • Conveyors

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Global Automatic Guided Vehicles Procurement Trends

Discover the top international trends affecting procurement in the global Automatic Guided Vehicles market.

Warning Trends


Tariffs to negatively impact the industrial manufacturing and processing machinery sector

  • The Trump Administration’s reciprocal tariffs, which apply general tariff rate increases to most leading US trade partners, are set to take effect on August 7, after the administration finalized the rates on August 1. As a result, leading sources of industrial equipment imports face significantly increased tariffs, including Canada (35.0%), China (54.0%), the European Union (15.0%), Japan (15.0%), Mexico (25.0%), and South Korea (15.0%).
  • Additionally, the administration increased tariffs on aluminum and steel, common input materials for industrial machinery, to 50.0%, which is likely to increase input costs for suppliers operating inside the United States.
  • China, Mexico, and Japan are three of the top sources of US machinery imports, accounting for about 50.0% of US imports in total. In addition to the increased costs from tariffs on these countries, the Japanese and Mexican machinery sectors could face increased financial risk as a large share of their revenue comes from US clients.
  • According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the increase in tariff rates on steel and aluminum in 2018 led to a 78.0% increase in domestic equipment production costs, a trend that may be repeated following the latest increases in steel and aluminum tariffs.
  • Suppliers that source machinery or parts from tariff-affected countries may see supply chain disruptions or extended lead times as they seek alternative suppliers to mitigate tariff impacts. In addition, buyers seeking to rent industrial machinery will likely see higher rental rates as dealers pass on higher costs and possibly limited available units if supply chain issues occur.

United States announces new tariffs on all imported steel

  • In February 2025, the United States announced 25.0% tariffs on all imported steel with no exemptions or exceptions. The tariffs took effect on March 12, 2025. On June 4th, these tariffs were increased further to 50%. These tariffs were not impacted by a recent court decision that temporarily suspended duties on certain goods as they were implemented under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.
  • Previously, countries such as Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, the top exporters of steel to the United States, had exemptions from tariffs. These have now been removed and all imported steel, regardless of origin, will be subject to the 50.0% tariff. However, on May 8th, the US announced an agreement with the United Kingdom to remove all levies on steel exported from the UK.
  • When tariffs on steel imports were introduced in March 2018, they contributed to an increase in the price of steel and steel products. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of steel-milled products increased by 10.2% in the year after the tariffs were implemented. This market heavily relies on steel as an input and may be impacted by this policy.

Global Automatic Guided Vehicles Market - Suppliers by Region

Country/Region Number of Suppliers
#1 Europe 75
#2 United States 40
#3 Oceania & Southeast Asia 40

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  • Canada
  • United States
  • Mexico
  • Latin America
  • South America
  • India
  • China
  • Europe
  • Africa & Middle East
  • Australi & New Zealand
  • Oceania & Southeast Asia

Geography Drilldown - US

Average Cost of Automatic Guided Vehicles

United States

2026 Market Pricing
$14,000.00 to $XXX,XXX.XX
per vehicle

Average Price

Prices in the Automatic Guided Vehicles market range from $14,000.00 to $XXX,XXX.XX, depending on Type, Load capacity, Complexity and Navigation method. For example, lower prices are associated with Tuggers ($14,000 to $90,000 per vehicle), whereas higher prices are associated with Forklifts ($45,000 to $200,00 per vehicle).

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Automatic Guided Vehicles Category Price Trends

Pricing trends are indicated by the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during a set period of time. For the Automatic Guided Vehicles market, prices in the US have grown 3.9% from 2022 to 2025. Subscribers can access price trend forecasts, price driver projections and forward-looking cost structure data. Learn more

United States (2022-2025)

3.9%
Compound Annual Growth Rate
United States (2025-2028)

Compound Annual Growth Rate

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Price trend forecasts are available to subscribers, along with price driver projections and forward-looking cost structure data.

Cost Analysis - Total Cost of Ownership for Automatic Guided Vehicles

Total cost of ownership is Medium in the Automatic Guided Vehicles market. The average cost of ownership differs depending on the contract but generally includes costs negotiated before the contract begins, costs billed during the contract period and unforeseen costs. For example, unforeseen costs in the form of Lost Orders may raise the total cost of ownership unexpectedly.

Negotiated Before

Installation

Buyers need to consider the additional costs of labor for installation, software programming, spare parts, and system training. The cost of labor to set up each unit averages about $25,000 per vehicle.

Billed During

Maintenance

Depending on the buying agreement, the buyer may require maintenance services. Suppliers typically offer a maintenance contract that allows buyers to request periodic checks on their systems for preventative care.

Unforeseen

Lost Orders

Lost orders can lease to foregone revenue, replacement costs and delays.

Buyer Power in Procurement Negotiations

In 2026, buyer power amounts to -2.8 in the United States. Buyer power is most positively impacted by Recent Developments. It is most negatively impacted by Availability of Substitutes. Subscribers can access details on eight other factors that impact buyer power. Learn more

United States

-2.8

Buyer power forecasts: your glimpse into the future

Develop strategies for the upcoming year and identify unforeseen opportunities for buying now

  • Actionable "Buy Now" and "Buy Later" insights
  • Near-real-time updates to current and forecast Buyer Power Scores
  • Methodology and weightings for Buyer Power Score Components

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Supply Chain Risk

The average level of supply chain risk is assessed as Medium, which has a negative impact on buyer power. The level of supply chain risk is affected by industry volatility, barriers to entry, competition, import penetration, regulation and industry financial risk. Buyers in this market can mitigate procurement and supply chain management risks by monitoring risk levels for individual first and second tier suppliers:

1st

Tier Suppliers

  • Electrical Equipment Manufacturers
  • Engine & Turbine Manufacturers
  • Iron & Steel Manufacturers
  • Software Publishers

2nd

Tier Suppliers

  • Metalworking Machinery Manufacturers
  • Metal Stamping & Forging Suppliers
  • Iron Ore Miners
  • Operating Systems & Productivity Software Publishers

Biggest Automatic Guided Vehicles Suppliers in the US by Revenue

The largest Automatic Guided Vehicles vendors by revenue in the US are Kion Group AG, John Bean Technologies Corporation and Kollmorgen Corporation. Subscribers can sort and filter by market share concentration, profit level and other factors. Learn more

Supplier Operational Size Headquarters Number of Employees Market Share (%) Market Share Performance (3yr trend) Total Revenue ($ million) Profit Level (%) Risk Level
Kollmorgen Corporation Global Beloit, WI 1,001-10,000 10-15
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Kion Group AG Global Frankfurt, DE >10,001 15-20
John Bean Technologies Corporation Global CHICAGO 1,001-10,000 15-20
Daifuku Co. Ltd. Global Osaka, JP 1,001-10,000 20-25
Bastian Solutions LLC Global Indianapolis, IN 501-1,000 5-10
Creform Corporation Global Greer, SC 51-100 5-10
Savant Automation Inc. National Walker, MI 51-100 < 5
Scott Systems International, Inc. National < 5
Murata Machinery Ltd. Global Nagaokakyo, JP >10,001 < 5

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Profit Analysis

The average profit margin across vendors in the Automatic Guided Vehicles market is 10.3% and steady. Profit levels shift depending on suppliers' spend on wages, purchases and overhead. The highest cost component for vendors is Purchases. The cost trend for this component is falling, when considering movement between 2025 and 2026. To understand cost forecasts for 2027 and uncover the implications on profit, start your subscription. Learn more

Vendor & Supply Chain Analysis

High market share concentration hurts buyers because it leaves them with few suppliers to choose from and it limits price-based competition among market players.

The growing popularity of AGV systems in warehouses and other facilities will cause more domestic and international firms to expand their operations and enter the market during the forecast period.

Inputs from key upstream suppliers, such as iron, steel, and tire manufacturers, are highly volatile in price and contribute to a heightened threat of AGV price spikes.

Overall, the moderate level of vendor risk should prompt buyers to establish fixed-price contracts when possible to guard against potential price spikes.

The United States is a net importer of measuring and detection equipment, meaning it imports more than it exports. A large foreign presence in the market indicates that buyers have greater access to competitively priced goods from lower cost countries, but may be exposed to significant supply chain risks and poor trade relations with countries such as China.

Supplier Information

Kollmorgen Corporation

Kollmorgen Corporation is a private company operating globally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include automatic guided vehicles. Founded in 1955, the company is currently headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin, United States of America with an estimated 5500 employees. Subscribe to learn more

John Bean Technologies Corporation

JBT MAREL Corp. is a global technology solutions provider to the food and beverage industry. It designs, produces, and services equipment for primary, secondary, and further value-added processing of poultry, beef, pork, seafood, ready-to-eat meals, fruits, vegetables, plant-based meat alternatives, dairy,... Subscribe to learn more

Kion Group AG

Kion Group AG is a public company operating globally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include pallet trucks, forklifts, conveyor systems, automated storage & retrieval systems, automatic palletizers. Founded in 2013, the company is currently headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany with an Subscribe to learn more

Daifuku Co. Ltd.

Daifuku Co. Ltd. is a public company operating globally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include conveyor systems, automated storage & retrieval systems, automatic guided vehicles and material handling services. Founded in 1937, the company is currently headquartered in Osaka, Japan with... Subscribe to learn more

Bastian Solutions LLC

Bastian Solutions LLC is a private company operating in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include automatic guided vehicles. Founded in 1952, the company is currently headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America with an estimated 750 employees. Subscribe to learn more

Creform Corporation

Creform Corporation is a private company operating globally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include automatic guided vehicles. Founded in 1953, the company is currently headquartered in Greer, South Carolina, United States of America with an estimated 75 employees. Subscribe to learn more

Murata Machinery Ltd.

Murata Machinery Ltd. is a private company operating in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include conveyor systems, automated storage & retrieval systems and automatic guided vehicles. Founded in 1935, the company is currently headquartered in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan with an estimated 4499... Subscribe to learn more

Savant Automation Inc.

Savant Automation Inc. is a private company operating nationally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include automatic guided vehicles. Founded in 2005, the company is currently headquartered in Walker, Michigan, United States of America with an estimated 67 employees. Subscribe to learn more

Scott Systems International, Inc.

Scott Systems International, Inc. is a private company operating nationally in the manufacturing sector. The company's offerings include automatic guided vehicles. Founded in 1987, the company is currently headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America. Subscribe to learn more

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Procurement Management KPIs for the Automatic Guided Vehicles Market

Managing vendor performance throughout the contract period is easier when tracking specific key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, buyers should monitor Average Order Value and Current Ratio (Assets/Liabilities). Buyers may experience better performance throughout their contracts if they establish service level agreements (SLAs) based on Planning and other factors.

KPI Level of Importance (1-5) Measurements Key Considerations
Average Order Value

Total revenue

Number of orders

The average order value represents the revenue generated from the average order.

The average order value can be used to evaluate buyers'willingness to pay for a company’s products and services.

The average order value can be used to assess a company’s ability to provide large volumes of product.

Current Ratio (Assets/Liabilities)

Current assets

Current liabilities

The current ratio represents a company’s liquidity.

The current ratio can be used to determine a company’s ability to utilize its current assets to satisfy its current liabilities.

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Questions to Ask During Procurement Negotiations

How can I gain leverage during negotiations?

Experience and Expertise

How many AGV systems have you installed? Can you share testimonials from past clients?

Do you manufacture the entire unit or do you rely on procured parts from other vendors?

Technology

Is it possible to upgrade the proposed system over time? How flexible are your AGV systems if I wish to add more units or change other components of the system?

How do you keep up-to-date with the newest AGV technology? How often have you changed your offerings since you started your business?

Price

How effective have your systems been in the past at recovering the initial outlay cost for buyers? Do you have case studies showcasing this?

What is the average useful life of your AGVs? Do you offer ways of refurbishing them?

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Automatic Guided Vehicles RFP Guidelines

What should my RFP include?

Organizational Overview

Buyers should describe their organizations and explain why they are seeking AGVs.

Buyers need to give a description of what they are transporting, as well as where and how. This overview should give vendors enough information to quickly evaluate whether they can provide vehicles that move the anticipated amount of cargo efficiently.

Statement Of Need

Buyers must provide the intended application of the AGV, the number of AGVs that will be part of the system, and whether the AGVs will be free-range or on tracks.

Buyers need to include a detailed description of the physical layout of the facility in which the AGV will be placed, including details about the travel paths, transfer positions, doors, passages, inclines, and other physical characteristics.

Project Budget

Buyers should explicitly state the amount of the contract award.

Buyers should explain when and how many payments will be made.

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