The companion 2026 Outlook Survey, also from Modern Materials Handling and Peerless Research Group and released on September 3, 2026, reports short-term caution mixed with stronger two-to-three-year spending intent. Sixteen percent of respondents say the economy has little impact on materials-handling plans, 18% are proceeding with investments, 24% are holding off and 42% are taking a wait-and-see stance. Among those still investing, 59% are putting money into information systems such as WMS, 41% into automation technologies, 40% into lift trucks and storage, and 38% into conveyors and sortation.
Looking ahead 12 months, 28% expect spending to rise by an average of 27%, 61% expect it to stay flat and 11% expect a decline. Over two to three years, 42% expect spending to increase, up from 35% a year earlier. Current AMR/AGV use stands at 16%, up from 10% last year, with 27% planning to evaluate mobile robots within one to two years.
Industrial robot use is 21%, up from 13%, with 24% planning evaluations. AMR/AGV applications cited include storage, each pick-and-place, bin picking and goods-to-person fulfillment. Interest in WCS rose eight points to 19%, and LMS plans rose five points, consistent with operators discovering that hardware only pays off when control software can hit designed rates.
Average anticipated 12-month spend rose to about $542,000 from under $402,000 last year, while the median stayed near $90,000, showing a split between large projects and smaller incremental buys. Safety, growth, cost containment, capital availability and labor remain the top current challenges; cycle time, training and ergonomics rise in importance two years out. The survey also shows more operators wanting automated KPI generation for inventory and fulfillment cost, and a rise in formal supply-chain risk planning.