Forklift Rental: 10 Reasons Why it’s a Good Idea

Forklift Rental or to buy a Forklift? That is the question that many businesses in need of a forklift grapple with. (Read more about What a Forklift is here) Whether your company uses a forklift often, or only sporadically, it may often be more cost effective to rent a forklift than actually buy one, we have a look at a few reasons for this below.

Forklift Rental

There are a variety of Forklift Rental companies in Johannesburg and South Africa that offer forklift rentals. Generally they will purchase the vehicles from a manufacturer and have them available at their warehouse for rental by construction, warehousing, logistics or any other companies that may utilize forklifts. Forklift rentals are generally more cost effective when they are needed for a specific project. If however your entire business hinges on goods being transported by forklift on a daily basis then it is a better option to buy a Forklift. Here are a few reasons why forklift rental makes sense:

Forklift Rental Benefits

1. Minimal cash outlay – The initial up-front cost of purchasing a forklift (of any size) is significant. With forklift rental, you are able to use the forklift at affordable daily, weekly or monthly rates. 
2. Fixed monthly costs – When you own a forklift, there will be unexpected repair costs that arise, which you haven’t budgeted for. These costs can be substantial and debilitating. With a rented forklift, you can be sure of a fixed hire cost and can manage your monthly budget accordingly. 
3. No maintenance responsibilities – Every forklift will need periodic maintenance. With forklift rental, you will not be responsible for the ongoing servicing and maintenance that is required. This benefit is not only financial; it will save you time.
4. The ability to choose – When owning a forklift, you are limited by its capabilities and capacities. This can lead to inefficiency when applying a forklift to jobs it is not suited to. With forklift rental comes flexibility and choice. You have the ability to hire the most ideal forklift for the work that needs to be done. 
5. Access to machine upgrades – Not happy with the forklift that you have rented? Pick up the phone and swap it for a bigger, or more advanced, option. Instead of being stuck with an outdated piece of machinery that you have purchased, you can hire the latest models available.  
6. No depreciating assets – Like any vehicle, the minute the forklift leaves the showroom floor, the value depreciates. As forklifts do heavy lifting and are often pushed to their limits, they depreciate a lot faster than cars do, so forklift rental definitely makes sense.
7. Breakdown assistance – It’s the forklift rental company’s responsibility to provide efficient breakdown assistance for their clients. When needed, a mechanic will be dispatched and when necessary, the forklift will be replaced. This saves time and money, allowing your team to get back to work quickly. 
8. No need for secure parking and storage – When buying a forklift, you also need a decent, secure place to store it when it is not being used. Depending on your premises, and need for space, this is not always easy to manage. 
9. Limited business down time – Rather than losing time when your bought forklift is in need of maintenance and repairs, keep your work on track with by speaking to forklift rental companies and hiring a forklift to keep your business on track. 
10. Trained drivers on call – Most forklift rental companies will give you the option of hiring a trained driver to operate the machine. This will ensure a safer work environment and minimise the need for you to hire permanent, trained drivers.

Forklift Rental Prices

Forklift Rental prices will vary per company. The majority of forklift rental companies offer forklifts for rental on a long term or short term basis. Short term generally means 1 day to 12 months and long term rental would be for longer than a year. Forklift Rental companies should be able to provide you with a driver if you need one or driver training if you already have a driver. Different companies will have access to different types of Forklifts varying from 1.5 to 13 tons capacity forklifts. So depending on your rental period, whether you need a driver and what the capacity is that you require, will determine the Forklift Rental Price. It’s a good idea to do your research and get a few quotes.

In conclusion

Based on the above information it seems that Forklift Rental is a very viable option should you not be wanting to spend a large amount of money up front for a Forklift. If your projects are short term or long term and you’re not wanting to commit to the maintenance, expense and upkeep of a forklift, it’d definitely worth considering forklift rental.

For all your Forklift Rental needs, speak to the experts in the industry. Retrolex Forklifts has many years’ experience in the Forklift Industry and provides Forklift Rentals, New and Used Forklift Sales, Forklift Replacement Parts, Forklift Service and Repairs, 24/7 Emergency breakdown service and Forklift Load Testing. Speak to Retrolex Forklifts today for a quote.