If you work in a business that requires material handling, then forklifts are a necessity. They are regarded as the best material handling equipment for on-site operations. After all, they are used in every major industry around the world including food and beverages, agriculture, construction as well as urban distribution. They are so popular, in fact, there are 885,000 forklifts in the United States alone and millions more all over the world.
So when the time comes to buy a forklift, what should you look for? Plenty options are available in the market including popular ones such as Moffettforklift trucks that come in a wide range of models. However,some outperform others with respect to the basic features, which make a forklift the ideal material handling equipment. These performance features allow forklifts to maneuver in tight spots and lift incredible loads that help improve the efficiency of onsite operations. So let us look at some of these performance features.
Performance Features to Consider When Buying Forklifts
- Load Lifting Capacity: The most important performance feature is the most basic one, load-lifting capacity. Before you can choose which forklift to buy, there are certain questions you must answer to narrow down your search. Questions likewhymy business needs a forklift. What load will the forklift carry most often? How much load lifting capacity will the forklift need based on the load? These questions will help you make a better decision regarding the load lifting capacity for your forklift. Note that the load capacities of forklifts often differ. Even though a forklift would be able to handle tons of loads, others like heavy-duty forklifts have the capacity to reach about 50 tons of load capacities. If, for example, you need to transport construction material over areas of dirt or gravel, you would be better off with rough terrain forklifts that have a higher load lifting capacity. The rough terrain range of Moffett truck mounted forklifts is considered to be one of the best since they can carry loads of up to 2700kg and they are used in moving building material, turf and agricultural products and are used in poultry and defense industries.
- The speed of Forklift: Speed often relates to efficiency. The faster something is done, the better it is considered but that’s not always the case. In case of forklifts, speed and acceleration are not considered as important as load lifting and safety features but in peak seasons when your business needs to fulfill multiple orders at the same time, having fast forklifts boosts efficiency greatly. Usually, five miles per hour is considered is considered a safe speed but this can vary from industry to industry. Even when you purchase used forklifts, you have to make sure the speed of the forklift is not greatly diminished from prior use. This is where authentic retailers such as Bobby Park Truck & Equipment come in; since they provide the best quality, used forklifts that help improve efficiency without incurring a greatMost models come from the manufacturer with a pre-set speed. Although forklifts with faster speed end up increasing efficiency and output, the safety of the operator can become a factor since a forklift can tip over at a higher speed while carrying a load.
- Forklift Battery Life and Health:Electric forklifts are powered solely by a battery, which makes it a crucial part of the machine. As such, it plays a huge role in determining the efficiency and performance of the forklift because better the battery life, longer the forklift can operate and greater the productivity. Even with used electric forklifts, you have to make sure that the battery life is intact and long-lasting. That is why used Moffett forklifts are famous because even after prolonged use, their battery life is excellent and can sustain operations for hours. This allows greater efficiency in onsite operations and better performance overall.
These are the performance features that you need to consider before purchasing a forklift, however, it is evident from the discussion above that safety plays an important part in the material handling business. No forklift purchase can be considered without considering the safety features as well since they ensure that the operator and other employees do not suffer serious or fatal injuries from forklift accidents.
Thus, it is as important to consider the safety features, as it is the performance ones since performance and safety go hand in hand and one cannot be achieved without the other. Safety features such as indicators, seat belts, horns are of paramount importance in a forklift, and it is advisable to consider these features along with the performance features before completing a purchase for a forklift.
