The forklift hire industry in South Africa is growing at quite a rate, as more and more people are using these lift trucks to help them get their jobs done more efficiently. But as forklift hire has grown in popularity, so too have some of the misconceptions surrounding it. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the biggest misconceptions about forklift hire and tell you what you need to know about each one.
- Forklift Hire is for SMEs
In actual fact, companies of all sizes can benefit from forklift hire. Even if you don’t have a warehouse or manufacturing facility, forklifts are fantastic for moving furniture or machinery and many other pieces of equipment that may be too bulky to move by hand. If you’re using forklifts regularly to transport items between offices or different departments within your company premises, you may find that it makes more sense to pay for ongoing hire instead of buying your own fleet. With contract hire, you can take as many or as few machines as required without being charged extra when they’re not needed.
- Forklift Hire Limits Your Options
When you hire a forklift, you typically receive just that: a machine. Many people have misconceptions about forklift hire because they think it’s going to be just like renting out other kinds of equipment like lawnmowers or pressure washers. Those machines come with options for gas or electric and different types of attachments, but unless you’re getting a fully-featured option with your forklift rental, you won’t have any additional choices beyond whatever is included on it. You also won’t likely get any kind of long-term maintenance plan with your order if you’re renting by the day, so if there are minor problems that crop up—or even big ones—you might not be able to get them fixed right away.
3) It Takes Time to Learn How to Operate a Forklift
A common misconception about forklift hire is that it takes time to learn how to operate a forklift. You don’t have to be an expert to use a forklift correctly, and a beginner can be taught how to use one in no time at all. During training, you will learn important skills such as maintenance, safety procedures and how best to lift loads efficiently so you get back to work quicker. Once your training is over, you can continue practising on your own with expert assistance if needed. It’s not too difficult after all!
4) Large Warehouses Require More than One Person Operating the Equipment
While forklifts are heavy machinery and typically need two people to operate safely, larger warehouses that use overhead conveyor systems only require one operator. Overhead conveyor systems are common in large warehouses because they can move pallets from one location to another with minimal human intervention. If a warehouse uses an overhead conveyor system, it is likely that they do not have forklifts; they use other types of automated equipment instead. When you contact a company that rents forklifts, ask if their business is large enough to warrant hiring additional operators or renting more than one vehicle. They’ll appreciate your interest in saving money on costs and will be able to respond more honestly to your question if you phrase it properly.
5) Forklift Hire Can Be Expensive
Because forklifts are pieces of machinery that can be dangerous, it’s understandable that hiring them can sometimes seem expensive. The good news is that there are some things you can do to get around these extra costs. For example, instead of purchasing your own forklift trucks for hire, you could consider whether renting is an option; some businesses do use rental equipment as part of their larger fleet. You might also want to think about what exactly you need a forklift for; different models have different lifting capacities and it’s possible you don’t need a large machine if your requirements aren’t overly complex. Plus, finding a well-established, reputable company should ensure that any maintenance or servicing work on your truck will be carried out efficiently and quickly.
6) Forklift Hire is a Cumbersome Process
You can compare many different websites to find forklifts for hire. The first question you’ll be faced with is whether you want an electric or gas-powered forklift. While it will depend on your specific job, make sure you know that both have their pros and cons. It may take a bit of research to figure out which one fits best for your needs, but it’s worth it in the end because of how much money you’ll save by comparison shopping! Electric forklifts are often cheaper, require little upkeep and are easier to maintain than gas-powered ones; however, they can’t go as far on a single charge.
Hire a Forklift from Value Forklifts
You’ll probably know that hiring a forklift is not something that you do every day. You might be worried about getting it wrong, or whether you’re going to end up paying too much. But when you hire a forklift from Value Forklifts, you don’t have to worry about any of these things. We have high-quality units at competitive prices and can provide forklifts for all types of jobs – from light assembly and delivery to heavy-duty warehousing operations. When it comes to cost, Value Forklifts is hard to beat.