Rising demand for electric forklifts, tighter floor-marking regulations in food facilities, and supply chain shifts are all reshaping how buyers source industrial solid tyres in 2025.
The Electric Forklift Shift is Accelerating
One of the clearest trends in 2025 is the continued acceleration of electric forklift adoption globally. As battery technology improves and charging infrastructure matures, more warehouses and logistics operators are switching from LPG and diesel counterbalance forklifts to electric alternatives.
For solid tyre buyers, this has direct implications. Electric forklifts operate at lower speeds and are predominantly used indoors, which increases demand for non-marking solid tyres and press-on (cushion) band tyres. Buyers sourcing for electric sit-down forklifts should review their tyre specifications accordingly.
Non-Marking Requirements Are Becoming Standard
Food processing, pharmaceutical, and clean-floor logistics facilities are increasingly mandating non-marking tyres as a condition of equipment approval. This has moved non-marking compound from a premium option to a standard specification in many sectors.
White and grey compound solid tyres leave no carbon deposits on polished or tiled floors, eliminating contamination risk and reducing cleaning overhead. At JABIL, non-marking variants are available across our full forklift solid tyre range and scissor lift tyre range.
Supply Chain Diversification from China
Global supply chain disruptions over the past several years have prompted importers to dual-source their tyre supply. While China remains the dominant manufacturing base for industrial solid tyres by volume and cost efficiency, buyers are increasingly seeking established factories with verifiable quality control rather than lowest-price-only sourcing.
This has benefited specialised manufacturers who can provide consistent batch quality, detailed specifications, and responsive technical support — rather than brokers reselling unbranded product.
Key Procurement Takeaways for 2025
Based on current market conditions, buyers should consider the following:
- Audit your fleet for non-marking compliance requirements before placing bulk orders
- Review whether electric forklift conversions require a tyre specification change
- Consolidate supplier relationships with factories offering full technical data and QC documentation
- Build modest safety stock for popular sizes given ongoing logistics variability
- Request compound certification (hardness, non-marking test report) when sourcing new suppliers
Have questions about your specific application?