Signs It's Time to Upgrade Your Company's Forklift Fleet

Ageing forklifts can be costly to maintain and operate. Expensive industrial equipment is bad for business and therefore a full upgrade of your forklift fleet will eventually be needed. Maintenance and performance problems are a good indicator that your forklifts may need to be replaced. Here are some things to consider when determining if you need to upgrade your forklift fleet:

Expensive Fuel

You should immediately consider upgrading your fleet if you are spending a large percent of your budget on fuel. Modern internal combustion lift trucks from manufacturers like Toyota boast very high fuel efficiency. Alternatively, you can also invest in a fleet of electric lift trucks. Both upgrades will begin to save your company money by spending less on fuel costs.

Repeat Repairs 

Recurring repairs are another sign that a forklift (or an entire forklift fleet) should be replaced. After all, your company can’t get the most productivity out of forklifts if they are always broken down or in the shop. Ongoing, repeat repairs are extremely expensive as well. The best way to cut costs on repeated repairs and maintenance issues is to invest in a brand new or quality used lift truck.

Internal Changes

Sometimes, the requirements of a given job site will change over time. You may need a forklift fleet that’s more appropriate for a growing operation and to address the safety needs of your employees. For example, if loads have become larger and heavier, the load capacity of your forklifts may no longer be adequate. An overloaded forklift could put the operator in serious danger. As well, should your facility move towards a narrow aisle application than choosing the narrow aisle forklift that can safely stack higher and move safely around the warehouse would be required.