Equipment is the most fundamental asset within a business (aside from human capital). Therefore a great deal of thought should be taken when inspecting the market prior to any decision making.
Implementing forklifts within the workplace is easily achieved through forklift hire, or buying the forklift outright.
There are lots of benefits of using forklifts within the workplace. Forklifts make workplaces safer, thanks to legal requirements and training surrounding operating forklifts. They have great lifting and loading capacities, maintenance is relatively simple and forklift hire is incredibly popular and affordable.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Forklift Hire
The advantages of hiring a forklift attract many people towards this method of acquiring a forklift. There is no major upfront cost, there is a fixed monthly cost, maintenance and servicing is handled by the hiring company, therefore there are no sudden repair or maintenance fees. The annual LOLER is completed by the hiring company and forklifts can be swapped or upgraded in lots of forklift hire agreements.
The main disadvantage of forklift hire is the fact that your business will not technically own the forklift. The implications of this means it cannot sit with your asses and you cannot make modifications to your forklift.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Purchasing a Forklift
There are several main advantages to purchasing a forklift. If you purchase a forklift, it can feature on your balance sheet. You can also off-set the payment for the forklift against a tax liability. You are also able to do whatever you want with it, without restrictions.
The disadvantages of purchasing a forklift seem to outweigh the benefits. The truck will feature on your asset list, however it will depreciate in value over time. The initial upfront cost is large which is likely to hit small businesses significantly. All servicing and maintenance is your responsibility, which is costly, and in addition to this you are likely to encounter unexpected problems over time.
Which Forklift is Right for you?
Forklifts play intrinsically important roles in a diverse range of businesses because they do the jobs of several employees, with the added benefit of being far more time efficient. Some companies might opt for a range of forklifts of varying styles/sizes/ for various uses to meet their changing and diverse requirements. Types of forklifts include: diesel forklifts, gas forklifts, electric forklifts, articulated forklifts, combilifts and many more.
