Wanted: Missing Inputs

27 May 2026 CW Team

Facing cost headwinds, India’s material handling equipment industry is looking to localise a long list of components.

Geopolitical turbulence in the Middle East has created tangible cost headwinds for the material handling equipment industry, compelling players to recalibrate their operations and take a long, hard look at design, with an eye on ushering in manufacturing and supply chain efficiencies, by means of greater localisation, supply chain adjustments or otherwise. Construction World’s analysis of the cost impact and remedial measures throws up ample opportunities for component makers.

Impacted components

While multiple input costs have been under consistent upward pressure over the past few quarters, driven by global supply constraints, energy costs and geopolitical disruptions, Rajib Lochan Datta, Head of Manufacturing Operations, TIL, pinpoints steel variations as the most critical, because “steel forms a significant portion of our overall cost structure, especially for load-bearing structures such as booms, frames and chassis.”

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