For decades, the material handling space has leaned on lead-acid batteries to power electric forklifts. They have been reliable and well understood, forming the basis of most aftermarket conversations around watering, charging infrastructure, and replacement cycles. Today, we stand at a turning point where battery technology trends and electrification are reshaping the operational and aftermarket landscape in profound ways. The shift is not just about replacing old batteries with new ones. It is about more intelligent energy, fleet optimization, and capturing aftermarket value in a rapidly evolving market.

Across the industry, demand is rising for longer run times, reduced downtime, faster charging, and more innovative ways to manage battery health and lifecycle costs. As your customer facilities embrace broader electrification goals, you, as the service providers and aftermarket partner, have a rare chance to lead with expertise, solutions, and support that go beyond the product itself.

Market Forces Driving the Charge

Electric forklifts have steadily gained market share, spurred by sustainability goals, operational efficiency, and shifting customer expectations. Recent industry data shows that lithium-ion technology continues to gain ground, now representing a substantial and fast-growing share of new forklift battery installations.  Lithium batteries are particularly attractive for their faster charging capability, lower maintenance, and longer cycle life compared with traditional lead-acid packs. As these technologies mature, smart battery management systems are becoming part of the value proposition, helping your customers reduce downtime and extend usable life.

The total forklift battery market, meanwhile, continues to grow strongly.  Industry experts are estimating consistent year-over-year growth and a healthy pace to continue through the rest of the decade. That growth reflects not only fleet electrification trends but also investment in aftermarket service models such as battery-as-a-service, predictive maintenance, and other emerging service offerings.

For aftermarket professionals, this expansion translates into more than just selling batteries. It is about partnering with your customers to optimize how they charge, deploy, monitor, and ultimately replace these power sources, thereby reducing the total cost of ownership and improving uptime.

Lead-Acid Still Matters, With New Context

Despite rising interest in lithium-ion, lead-acid remains a backbone technology in many operations. Its established supply chain, predictable performance, and lower upfront cost keep it relevant, especially in fleets that operate in single-shift environments or where legacy systems dominate. The key for your aftermarket operations is not to treat lead-acid and lithium as competing products, but as complementary tools that fit different operational profiles.

Modern lead-acid service includes optimization techniques ranging from conventional charging cycles to opportunity or fast charging approaches that boost uptime without sacrificing battery health. For example, opportunity charging, when applied judiciously, can reduce the need for multiple battery sets per forklift while keeping equipment running longer. These tactics, once considered niche, are now part of the everyday vocabulary for facilities seeking incremental performance improvements. 

Evolving Expertise in Industrial Power

Today’s battery manufacturers are blending decades of lead-acid experience with the realities of modern material handling. The best suppliers have moved beyond simply producing batteries; they are engineering complete energy solutions built around quality, flexibility, and sustainability. Most now offer a wide range of voltage options and plate designs to support the diverse equipment mix found in today’s fleets, along with compatible chargers and accessories that simplify maintenance across multiple facilities.

Equally important is the consultative role these manufacturers play. As end users adopt mixed fleets and experiment with different charging strategies, having a knowledgeable partner who can help match battery types, charge profiles, and duty cycles to real-world applications has become a significant advantage.

Sustainability has also become central to the industrial battery conversation. Many lead-acid batteries today are produced with high levels of recycled material. They are fully recyclable at the end of life, helping operations meet environmental goals while supporting broader electrification initiatives.  A supplier I recently met with, Battery Builders Industrial (BBI), exemplifies this approach, combining long-standing expertise with a forward-looking focus on efficiency and environmental responsibility.

As John Gaughan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at BBI, puts it, “Our strength isn’t just in the range of batteries we manufacture, but in helping customers choose and apply the right technology for their operation. With so many charging strategies and equipment profiles in play, that guidance can make all the difference.”

Electrification Beyond Batteries

Battery trends are part of a broader shift toward electrification that encompasses everything from warehouse equipment to facility energy management. As forklifts become more electric, facilities are also investing in infrastructure upgrades, such as enhanced power delivery systems, dedicated fast-charging stations, and energy storage systems capable of supporting higher throughput. These changes often require aftermarket expertise in facility assessment, electrical design, and long-term service planning.

Smart battery management systems are increasingly in demand as well. These systems provide real-time insights into the state of charge, battery health, temperature, and performance patterns. Such data supports predictive maintenance strategies that can save your customers money by avoiding unexpected failures and extending overall battery life. More than ever, your aftermarket teams need to be fluent in interpreting and acting on this data.

Aftermarket Opportunities

For aftermarket professionals, the current environment offers several practical opportunities:

• Education and advisory services: Your customers want to know not just what to buy, but how to make the best choices. Helping them map use cases to specific battery types and charging strategies builds trust and repeat business.
• Maintenance program development: Structured service plans for watering, equalization charging, and inspections create recurring revenue for your aftermarket operations while helping your customers extend battery life and keep their fleets running at peak performance.
• Battery health monitoring: Offering or integrating battery management tools enables your dealership to differentiate its service and deliver customized alerts and lifecycle recommendations to customers.
• Recycling and sustainability solutions: As batteries reach the end of life, guiding your customers through compliant recycling and repurposing options adds value and strengthens long-term relationships.

Looking Ahead

As electrification continues to redefine what material handling fleets look like, the aftermarket role becomes strategic and more technical. Batteries are no longer commodities to be swapped once they fail. They are engineered assets demanding thoughtful selection, optimized charging, and ongoing health management. Look to partner with a supplier that is part of that shift, offering products and insight that help operators perform better today while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.

For aftermarket providers, the future belongs to those who can merge technical expertise with practical service solutions, helping customers navigate a landscape that is more dynamic, data-driven, and electrified than ever before.

About the Author: 

Chris Aiello is the Business Development Manager at TVH Parts Co. He has over 20 years of experience in the equipment business, serving in various roles, including service manager, quality assurance manager, and business development manager. Chris now manages a national outside sales team that sells replacement parts and accessories to various equipment markets, including material handling, equipment rental, and construction and earthmoving dealerships.