Are You Ready to Take Advantage of Electric?

Whether you believe there is a climate change crisis or not, material handling and distribution center warehouse managers and decision makers are moving toward electrically-powered equipment for some very good reasons that include environmental concerns, but also consist of maintenance costs and fossil fuel price fluctuations, as well as fuel stability. With a tremendous rise in e-commerce as the world adjusts to new normals, moving toward electric just makes sense. 

Electric forklifts and other material handling equipment, such as order pickers, reach trucks, pallet stackers and pallet jacks, are fast becoming equal to - and in some cases, superior to - traditional fuel-powered equipment. It's no longer a valid argument to say that electrically-powered material handling equipment doesn't match up in speed or capacity to its LPG- and diesel-powered brethren.

The list of benefits to using electric material handling equipment has steadily grown - as more and more manufacturers listen to the needs of clients and see the wave of the future. Some of those benefits include:

• Bottom line improvements - Although you may see a higher investment up front for electrically-powered material handling equipment, you'll typically see savings in both fuel cost and maintenance down the line. Oh and by the way, the cost difference between electric and traditional fuel powered equipment is shrinking.
• Environmental advancements - There are a multitude of environmental benefits, not the least of which is cleaner air. But, under environmental benefits to electric material handling equipment we can also list things like less noise and less dirt - items that are beneficial to overall working conditions.

More and more material handling and distribution center warehouses are moving towards powering their fleet with electric power. This trend fits in with other recent trends that include automation and integration - all ways companies are boosting their bottom lines while providing innovative solutions to traditional challenges. At Southwest Materials Handling Company, we are proud to partner with Komatsu America, Noblelift North America, Taylor Dunn, and Columbia Vehicles, for leading-edge electrical technologies. Let's dive a little deeper into the benefits of electrically-powered forklifts and other material handling and distribution center equipment. 

Fuel and Maintenance Savings 

When we talk about seeing savings on fuel costs with electrically-powered forklifts and other material handling equipment, we aren't just talking about the price, although we all know that fuel costs fluctuate with the seasons, locations and, in some cases, politics and war. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gasoline (which includes diesel) prices are determined by crude oil availability, which can be affected by seasonal demand, disruption to refinery operations and other factors. Most of these are out of our individual hands and so we are at the mercy of forces we cannot control. In the long term, most agree there is a fuel cost savings associated with choosing electrically-powered material handling equipment.

Electrically-powered material handling equipment is powered by Industrial Batteries. There are some clear advantages to choosing industrial lithium and/or lithium-ion batteries for your electrically-powered forklift (safer to handle, no maintenance, longer run time and fast charging, to name a few) and the cost of lithium batteries has been steadily declining since their introduction to the market. So, even though a lithium or lithium-ion battery might cost more up front, the savings in the long term are comparable to the savings overall you'll get with electric.

Another area where you can expect to see a boost to your bottom line with electric is maintenance. Forbes magazine calls the IC engine a "dead man walking" and provides a long list of reasons to support its point, including the lower cost and simpler methodology of maintaining the electric motor. Maintenance, whether regularly-scheduled or on the fly during a shift, is considerably easier for your electric forklift and other electric material handling equipment. Some of the ways you can expect to save with electric include:

• A savings of up to 75% in operational costs
• Less moving parts equals less downtime for repairs
• Less downtime when recharging

Positive Environmental Impacts 

We've talked about how going electric will impact your bottom line, but there are a multitude of environmental reasons for choosing electric forklifts and other material handling equipment. The increasing dialogue around "going green" to help make our planet a safer and healthier home extends to reducing toxic fumes in warehouses and other work settings which in turn might help lower the costs associated with employee and worker health. With electric, you and your employees will also hear less noise and deal with less dust and dirt.

Because enough people in the material handling space - and other associated applications - are talking about green practices, sooner or later most, if not all, in the arena will choose to incorporate these changes into their business plans. Most people do care about giving the environment a helping hand in any way they reasonably can and that extends to you, your competition and your customers.

Finally, rebates in the form of tax credits and other incentives may be available. Check with your tax professional. 

Komatsu Since 1921 

Komatsu is a leader in Electric Forklifts and Reach Trucks as well as Construction Equipment. 

Taylor Dunn Since 1949 

Taylor Dunn is the Industrial Leader for Electric Personnel Burden Carriers, Stockchasers and Towing Tractors. 

Noblelift Electric Equipment Since 2000

With a long history of reliability and performance, Noblelift is a natural choice with an extended line of material handling equipment. Whatever your application calls for, we believe there is a Noblelift electric powered product to fit your needs. 

Columbia Vehicles Since 1946 

Columbia specializes in Utility Trucks and Chariots with street legal options. 

The Electric Advantage

If you've already started introducing electric forklifts and material handling equipment into your operation, good for you. If you are thinking about it and weighing the pros and cons, give the professionals at Southwest Materials Handling Company a call. As the material handling world moves into new and innovative ways to solve traditional and current challenges, you won't want to be left behind. Contact us today to learn more.To say we have you covered is an understatement.