Few things are more important to the overall success of a business than having the right equipment. If your business requires you to move pallets of materials around on a daily basis, having a reliable forklift is a must. A forklift has a definite shelf life, which means you will eventually have to replace it.
Businesses in the United States spend over $981 billion on new and used equipment. When your existing forklift reaches the end of its lifecycle, you will be presented with a number of warning signs. Here are some of the reasons why upgrading your existing forklift is a good idea.
1. Maintenance and Repair Costs Are Out of Control
Keeping operating costs low and profit margins high is a winning recipe for a small business. Closely monitoring where money is being spent every month can help you identify problems. Are you starting to notice that forklift maintenance and repair costs are increasing with each passing month? If so, this is an indication that it is time to upgrade your existing machine.
Older forklifts are notorious for breaking down. Not only is this costly for a business, it can also lower productivity levels. Rather than allowing these problems to persist, you need to invest in a quality used forklift. With the addition of this new forklift, you can keep your employees productive.
2. Your Existing Forklifts Are Too Big
One of the biggest complaints most warehouse managers have is the lack of space. If your business increases the amount of inventory on hand, it will be difficult to store it if the aisles in your warehouse are too wide. These wider aisles are usually there to accommodate older and bigger forklifts.
If you feel like wide aisles are robbing you of valuable space, then it is time to make a change. Modern forklifts are getting smaller with each passing year. Investing in one of these smaller forklifts is a great way to free up some space in your warehouse.
3. Power Issues Are Constantly Arising
The average forklift is equipped with a lithium-powered battery. Over time, the cells in this battery will start to wear out. If your employees have to jump forklifts off frequently, this is an indication that these batteries are damaged. You can get more power and reliability by upgrading your forklift. Forklifts made in the past few years have more powerful and longer-lasting lithium batteries in them.
4. Employees Have Too Much Downtime
If you have a team of forklift drivers, then you have to work hard to keep them productive. When the machines these operators use are damaged, they will have nothing to do. Instead of allowing downtime to affect your business and employee morale, you need to upgrade your older forklifts immediately. With some time and research, finding the right replacement forklift will be easy.
Are you looking for a great deal on a used forklift? If so, it is time to check out the listings on the National Forklift Exchange.