Forklift trucks are an essential component in a whole range of industrial, retail and commercial environments, and choosing the right one to suit is a key part of business management. There are plenty of considerations you’ll need to bear in mind and a wide range of models that could be suitable accordingly, and here are just a few factors that will go into your final decision:
Space considerations. The amount of space you’ve got will always be an important consideration—if you’ve got a facility with narrow aisles or limited headroom you’ll need a forklift that can fit and manoeuvre easily, and in-line with that is the capacity of the truck itself. You need to strike the right balance between it being manoeuvrable and able to carry sufficient load, so always make sure you choose a model accordingly.
Application. The reason you need the forklift will be a primary consideration, and that will all come down to the environment you operate in. Will you be lifting pallets, piping, carpets or retail goods? How heavy are the products you’ll need to lift? Where will the forklift be operating? This will all determine the type of forklift you’ll need as well as any attachments required, and capacity will again come into it.
Gas, diesel or electric? There are plenty of fuel options to consider, and again, it all comes down to the environment you operate in. If you’ll be using the truck in a closed internal space chances are you won’t want to use gas and cope with exhaust fumes so an electric model would be ideal, whilst if you’re after a heavy-duty version you might want to go for diesel. Or, what about multi-fuel options for added flexibility? The choice is yours.
Budget constraints. Your budget will of course be a huge consideration, and it’s important to consider the long-term costs too—what would the repair/maintenance costs be, and how much will fuel set you back? Questions of this nature will all need to be answered, but of course, given the nature of these vehicles you should never put price before quality.
New or used? You might be tempted to opt for a brand new model, perhaps thinking that you’ll be getting a better standard of quality, but in reality this may not always be the case. A lot of used forklifts are just as high-quality as their newer counterparts having been carefully refurbished to be brought back up to standards, but because they’re used you could save a fortune when compared to buying a brand new model. So why choose anything else?
These are just a few considerations you’ll need to bear in mind when deciding on the right forklift for your environment, and if you’re looking for a supplier that can accommodate you’ve come to the right place. Here at Trucks Direct UK Limited we’ve got a fantastic selection of used forklift trucks for you to choose from to ensure there’s something for everyone and every environment necessary, so take a look around and you’ll soon have the used forklift that meets your every requirement.