Material handling is the process of transporting products and goods across a small distance, usually within the confines of a factory, warehouse, or gated area. Lifting, picking, storing, pushing, tugging, loading, and unloading are all common material handling motions. Automation may or may not be involved. Workers transporting products using side-loaders and forklifts is an example of manual material handling, while a complex system of conveyor belts moving raw materials in a manufacturing plant is an example of automated material handling.

Various sectors use specially engineered material handling equipment to streamline order fulfilment or manufacturing operations, increase efficiency, avoid deadly injuries and costly downtime, and be flexible as market demand changes.