why are they needed and how to choose?

What workflows will change when using a forklift?

A forklift can significantly improve the productivity and efficiency of a company’s work processes. It helps reduce warehouse worker time and effort when moving heavy loads, which improves both productivity and overall efficiency. At the same time, it is important to choose the right forklift model so that it really simplifies and coordinates the organization of work.

Key factors to consider when choosing a forklift

1. Environment

When choosing a forklift, it is important to determine where and under what conditions it will be used. First of all, you need to determine whether the forklift will work indoors or outdoors, in an environment with stable or variable temperatures, or even in special conditions, what kind of surface will it be – soil or floor, that is, how flexible should the forklift adapt?

• Best choice for indoors There is often an electric forklift. This is mainly due to the absence of exhaust gases and loud noise when the loader is operating.

• For outdoor conditions It has become common to choose an internal combustion engine, that is, a diesel or gas forklift. But although forklifts with an internal combustion engine are designed for outdoor operating conditions (for example, rain, sub-zero temperatures), electric lifts are rapidly evolving towards operation in any operating conditions.

2. Load capacity and lifting height

When choosing a forklift, you need to evaluate what kind of loads and to what height it will be lifted. Loaders are available with different load capacities and lifting heights. Therefore, be sure to check that the selected forklift meets the maximum weight and height requirements of the work environment and processes.

3. Width of passages and height of rooms

Preparation for choosing a forklift model includes measuring the width of the aisles in the room. In this case, you need to think over the route along which the loader should move when working, and indicate the lowest passages into which it should, if necessary, go.

4. Power source and fuel type

Depending on the power source, forklifts are divided into three main types: electric, diesel and gas. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on its intended use.

Electric forklifts

• Advantages: An electric forklift is great for indoor use as it does not emit exhaust gases and is quiet. Typically, electric forklifts are designed to maximize operator visibility. New lithium battery-powered forklifts offer plenty of legroom because the battery is moved under the bottom. (You can read more about lithium batteries here>>) Electric forklifts are relatively economical to maintain because they have significantly fewer moving and therefore wearing parts than an internal combustion engine.
• Flaws: Electric forklifts require recharging, which can result in downtime for an untrained user. The main factors to consider for forklift charging are battery life and building infrastructure.

Diesel forklifts

• Advantages: High performance and suitable for moving heavy loads – especially good outdoors and on uneven surfaces. In addition, diesel forklifts can operate for a long time without technical downtime.
• Flaws: The level of exhaust emissions makes a diesel forklift unsuitable for indoor use. In addition, diesel forklifts produce significant noise and vibration. Refueling a diesel forklift usually requires either a local tank or mobile vehicles that deliver fuel to the site. Routine maintenance on diesel forklifts tends to be more expensive than average, simply because there are more parts to service.

Gas forklifts

• Advantages: A gas forklift is perhaps the most flexible in terms of environment as it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It is quieter than a diesel forklift and produces less exhaust fumes.
• Flaws: A gas forklift often uses more fuel than a diesel one, and access to gas can be a logistical challenge. The high fuel consumption of a gas forklift means, as a rule, the operating time on one cylinder is about 2–3 hours. Replacing a gas cylinder on a car is easy, but exchanging empty cylinders for full ones can be difficult and logistically inconvenient. In addition, gas forklift maintenance is noticeably more expensive than average due to the large number of parts to be serviced.

5. Maintenance and operating costs

The frequency of maintenance of the lifting device is usually determined by the manufacturer. For internal combustion engine units, it is good practice to change the engine oil and filters once a year or every 500 hours of operation. For lifting equipment operating in severe conditions or with high workloads, the maintenance interval is determined according to the manufacturer’s instructions and operating conditions.

6. Occupational safety and operational requirements

When choosing a forklift, special attention should be paid to operational safety and specific requirements. In addition, the need for specific aids must be considered in advance. While in most cases all the lifting required can be done with a fork and it will do, a grab or similar device can save you thousands of euros in undamaged goods and turnaround time in the long run.

If forklifts and people are working side by side, it is worth considering implementing light and voice signals. In addition, in this case, ergonomic solutions are important to make the operator’s work more comfortable and safe. Manufacturers, for their part, do everything possible to ensure maximum comfort for the forklift operator, including logical layout of controls and good visibility. All this ensures safety and ergonomics of work.

Trends and Forecasts

Over the past five years, the lifting equipment market has clearly been dominated by the trend towardsincreasing adoption of electric loading equipment. Several factors contribute to this trend:

• The need to reduce environmental impact: Electric forklifts do not produce exhaust gases, which makes them attractive for warehouses and industries where work is carried out in enclosed spaces or environmental friendliness is of particular importance.
• Noise reduction requirement: Electric forklifts are much quieter than diesel and gas ones, that is, they improve working conditions by reducing noise.
• Potential reduction in operating costs: Although the initial cost of an electric forklift may be higher than a diesel or gas one, its operating costs are generally lower due to lower energy and maintenance requirements.
• Continuous technology development: Advances in battery technology have increased the battery life of electric forklifts and reduced charging times, making them a practical solution even in heavy-duty environments.

Europe is experiencing the fastest growth in adoption of electric lifting technology compared to the Asian and US markets. Strict emissions standards and environmental consciousness have significantly accelerated the transition to electric solutions. At the same time, diesel and gas forklifts remain popular in outdoor applications and in industries that require high lifting capacity.

However, as already mentioned, technology is developing very quickly, and manufacturers of electric forklifts are actively working to ensure that their devices can be used outdoors and in places where the infrastructure has not yet been built. For example, EP Equipment, a leading Asian manufacturer of electric forklifts and lithium batteries, offers “quick-swappable” batteries. In addition, the company is developing a battery bank that will quickly recharge lithium batteries in places where there is no necessary infrastructure or even a connection to a household power grid.

Therefore, when planning to purchase a forklift, you really need to analyze and carefully consider which machine will bring the most profit. Much depends on the environment in which the forklift operates, what loads and how high it must lift. Having decided on this, it will be easier to decide which forklift best suits your needs and working conditions – electric, diesel or gas. As described in the article, each type has its own advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered. However, there is no doubt that conscious choice taking into account the specifics of the machine can increase the productivity of the company, as well as speed up work processes.