Industry

Selecting the right forklift for your business needs

A forklift is an industrial lift truck and considered an essential piece of machinery for a modern warehouse. Specifically designed to operate in limited spaces, a suitable forklift can move goods around your site quickly and securely. It is vital to enlist a machine that is simple yet safe to operate, requires minimal maintenance and ensures your materials are shifted efficiently. Yet every forklift is different and it is important to ensure that your business has access to the best material handling equipment available.

It is critical to consider several factors when choosing your forklift, such as budget, size of your equipment, power, load capacity, and lift height features. With such a range of forklift types, models and sizes, finding the right forklift for your site can be challenging. A premium forklift rental supplier can provide the perfect forklift tailored to your business needs. Read on as we discuss a couple of key considerations to help you select the right machinery.

Lift height

The main use for a forklift is the ease in shifting large quantities of goods across warehouses. A standard forklift can cater for lift heights of 10-20 feet. If you need higher capabilities, you will need a forklift to match.

Budget

It is important to consider the job requirements and whether the equipment will be used for a short or long period. Approaching a forklift company with a variety of new and late model forklifts from a variety of brands will help you find the best-valued equipment. Find a hire company who can provide short and long-term rental options and have new and used forklifts for sale. If you are using a forklift only a few weeks or months at a time, looking to hire a forklift could be the perfect solution. Alternatively, if you are using your forklift for several hours every day, it could be more effective to purchase the fleet.

Power

Consider how and where your forklift will be used, whether indoors, outdoors or a combination of both. Forklifts come in a variety of engine types, each with their own benefits and challenges. A diesel-powered forklift will give you lots of power, are very reliable and are very energy efficient when compared to other fuel type models. However, the overall size can be a little bulky and they can be very noisy. This type of machine is best suited to open spaces and shouldn’t be considered for indoor warehouses due to its emissions.

An LPG type fleet will be a workhorse that requires minimal maintenance. It can operate indoors or outdoors, provided that the space is well ventilated. Yet a gas engine can be noisy to operate and they are not as nimble. While easy to refuel, you will also need to reserve space in your warehouse to store gas for refuelling.

Electric forklifts are great for small, indoor warehouses as they offer premium handling and maneuverability. They are quiet and have a long lifespan compared to other fuel sources. However, they are unsuitable for outdoor use, have less power than diesel or LPG engines and can take a long time to charge.

Load capacity

It is important to think about the amount, type and frequency of your lifting requirements. Keep in mind diesel and gas-powered machines will have the best load capacity but suit more industrial warehouses. Electric engines are best suited to indoor warehouses that have lighter lifting requirements, such as food storage or textiles. There is no point in selecting a neat machine that is great indoors but can’t meet the load requirements for your specific job application.

Finding the right fleet for your needs

Purchasing a forklift is similar to buying a car. By looking at your requirements and other particular parameters allows you to make the final purchase decision. The right forklift to suit your needs can be found for either purchase or hire options.

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