In this modern age, more people than ever before are looking to choose businesses who are working to lower their carbon footprint, or ones that already have. If your customers know that you’re opting to use electric forklifts and other electric warehouse equipment, then they may well be much more likely to choose you to get the job done over your competitors.
So alongside eco-friendly properties, what else can an electric forklift offer that diesel or LPG forklift trucks cannot and why should you choose to hire one instead of buying one? Hire Forklifts are on hand to explain.
What are the benefits of an electric forklift?
There are many different advantages to acquiring and using an electric forklift and many of those are listed below:
They’re cost-effective to run
One of the first things a warehouse owner looks at when it comes to acquiring a new forklift is the price and often, renting a forklift is a far more affordable option. Hiring a forklift aside, electric forklifts are considerably cheaper to run than a diesel or LPG alternative, hence why they’ve become a lot more popular in the material handling industry.
Although an electric forklift needs to be charged up before use, the cost of charging the forklift is relatively cheap in comparison to buying numerous gas canisters or tanks of diesel fuel.
They’re easier to operate
How easy forklifts are to operate isn’t always the first thing a warehouse owner looks for in a new piece of material handling equipment. However, the easier a forklift is to operate, the more efficient operations will run.
It might be worth test driving the forklift or bringing a trained employee with you to test drive it for you. You’ll be sure to conclude that an electric vehicle is far easier to operate than an LPG or diesel machine.
Electric forklifts have a heavy battery which adds to their impressive level of stability and lower centre of gravity. They also have a compact design that makes it effortless to turn around small, tight corners.
As such, this makes electric forklifts ideal for operation around small or even exceptionally busy warehouses. With an electric forklift, you’ll also experience less vibration, better rear visibility and even automatic braking with some of the latest vehicles on the market.
They give off zero emissions
This factor is what makes an electric forklift one of the most environmentally-friendly forklifts out there, mainly because it’s hard to deny the impact that zero-emissions have on the planet. They also don’t waste any fuel if they sit idle for any length of time, even if they’ve been left on.
A fully-charged electric forklift will provide many hours of service, often lasting throughout the day, so overall efficiency and productivity will be improved throughout your warehouse when you opt to acquire an electric forklift.
There are fewer moving parts involved
Electric forklifts are relatively simple when it comes to moving parts and components. Not only are there fewer of them, but they’ll be much easier to locate, take out and replace should that time come. Diesel and LPG forklifts might well require a more in-depth, specialist mechanic or engineer to thoroughly inspect the vehicle which will then incur more costs.
They can be used both indoors and outside
The fact that their emission levels are virtually non-existent, electric forklifts can be operated both inside and outdoors. This is an excellent option for warehouse owners whose premises are spread across two sites or for those who have a small facility with minimal ventilation.
What are the benefits of hiring an electric forklift?
While it’s tempting to go out and buy a brand new electric forklift for your warehouse, it’s actually more cost-effective for you to hire a forklift for either the short or long term, depending on your needs and budget. Alongside it being affordable in comparison to making a forklift purchase, there are a fair few other advantages to renting a forklift that you might not have thought about.
Other benefits of electric forklift hire include:
It’s a flexible option to suit all requirements
Forklift hire services will be able to line up with your operations. Whether you have a permanent fleet of forklifts that need to be supplemented with additional machines during your most busy periods or simply need one machine for the short term to get the job done, renting a forklift is the best possible option for you.
You don’t need a large premises
Forklift hire companies will be able to drop off and pick up the vehicles as and when needed, so these machines won’t have to sit on your premises for long periods of time, even after your contract has ended. This option is most suited to those who have smaller, extremely busy warehouses that would otherwise lack the space to store any number of electric forklifts.
You’ll acquire brand new machines
This comes in as part of the cost-saving element of renting an electric forklift. You’ll be receiving state-of-the-art, modern vehicles that would otherwise cost a small fortune if you were to buy such a forklift outright.
With a brand new forklift at the helm of your business, you’ll be less likely to experience any breakdowns or see a drop in power or speed. In turn, this will ensure that operations continue to run as smoothly as possible.
You won’t have to spend money on repairs or replacements
Forklift rental contracts will often include the cost of any repairs and replacements should your hired forklift fail. This way, you won’t have to worry about going for long periods without the right machinery at the heart of your business. If the forklift is irreparable, then your forklift rental company should provide you with a brand new replacement as soon as possible – just another cost you won’t have to worry about.
How can Hire Forklifts help you?
Hire Forklifts have a team of experienced professionals at the helm of our business, ensuring our customers are provided with the very best machinery, all of exceptional quality and made to an excellent standard. You’ll always be able to count on the warehouse equipment we have available to hire, including renting cherry pickers, pallet trucks, reach trucks and order pickers, to name a few..
In addition to hiring an electric forklift, you’ll also be able to rent a diesel forklift or hire an LPG forklift. No matter what it is you need, we’ll have the right material handling solution for you. We’re able to offer flexible, transparent rental contracts, either long or short term, to ensure your needs and budget are seamlessly met.
If you’d like more information about the warehouse equipment we have available for hire, including forklifts for rent, get in touch with a member of our knowledgeable, skilled team today – we’re always on hand to help.
