If you have been shopping around for a forklift recently, you’re probably no stranger to sticker shock. After all, forklift prices have jumped significantly in recent years, as low inventory and materials inflation drives up the end price.
If you would rather not fork out a king’s ransom, opting for fork lift hire might be your best option. Here’s what you need to know about renting instead of buying a forklift.
Types of Fork Lift Hire
If you work in material handling or construction, a forklift is a necessary operating expense. However, you can always get the best value for money by choosing the right leasing option for your specific operations.
You could opt for short-term fork lift rental. In this case, you would rent a forklift directly from a manufacturer or supplier for a short period, often a few days or even a few hours. This is best for projects where a forklift is needed for a specific, time-limited task.
Alternatively, you could choose a long-term fork lift rental. This involves hiring a forklift for months or years at a time. If a forklift is regularly needed at your site for a variety of daily tasks, this is often the best option and is usually considerably cheaper than buying your forklift outright.
Save Money
As mentioned, hiring a forklift is nearly always the cheaper option. A new electric forklift will easily cost you tens of thousands of dollars, and you will need to pay this upfront and in full.
On top of this, the value of your forklift will depreciate from the first moment that you use it. It is not a good asset to have on your books, and it is rarely the most prudent investment. That’s why renting is usually the wiser choice.
Stay Agile
Renting a forklift allows you to keep your operations as agile as possible. As you undergo business expansion and hire more, you can simply rent more forklifts as needed.
You can also discontinue your rental agreements if business is slow, or you find that you are using the forklift less often. Scalability and flexibility are key to success. Renting gives you a little more freedom to adjust your costs according to your own business cycles.
Less Admin and Maintenance
Crucially, renting a forklift is less complicated and less time-consuming for you and your team. When you rent, you get all of the maintenance and servicing included.
If something isn’t working, the company that you rented from will be responsible for getting your hardware back in operation, at no extra cost to you. If you’re keen to avoid costly downtime, renting can help you achieve this.
Hire Your Ideal Forklift Today
Opting for fork lift hire can save you time, money, and stress. If your operations include material handling or construction in either Nashville or Fort Worth, we are on hand to assist.
At Superior Industrial Products, we offer forklift rentals from the most trusted manufacturers for all of your needs, complete with all specialty forklift attachments, extendable boom list, and scissor lifts. To find out about our competitive rental pricing and agreements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team today.