How to Get the Most Out of Your Equipment

At this time of year, everyone's bank accounts are starting to feel a little tight as the holiday season fast approaches.  With that mind, let's look at a few ways you can save your business some money and make your account happy by getting the most out of your forklift heading into 2017:

Improve your fuel efficiency 

Checking Tire Pressure 

One of the simplest ways of boosting your fuel efficiency and improving safety is to ensure your forklift’s tires are properly inflated.  With under-inflated tires, a forklift can suffer from poor traction, a hazard which increases the chances of workplace accidents and reduces productivity.  On the other hand, over-inflated tires may result in blow outs that cause injury and product/property damage, and increase downtime.

Reduce Fuel Waste 

For many businesses, a lack of standardization and an inefficient floor layout are the primary causes of wasted fuel.   Here, lack of standardization causes additional idle time while waiting for loads while an inefficient layout causes operators to drive further between loads than necessary.  To address these issues, examine day-to-day work processes and consult with your employees to determine an effective means of standardizing work flows and optimizing your layout to minimize unproductive actions and wasted fuel.

Improve Productivity 

Software Options 

Through fleet management software, employers now have access to detailed information on equipment usage and productivity.  This information allows employers to identify process inefficiencies, eliminate idle time, and make more accurate labor and inventory projections.

Regular Maintenance Schedules 

By following a regular maintenance schedule, managers can schedule work to accommodate for unavailable equipment and minimize disruptions.  Additionally, regular maintenance protects against unexpected downtime due to equipment breakdowns and extends the service life of the equipment.

Equipment Options

For some equipment owners, there’s a great deal of confusion about the difference between a forklift’s functional life and its reasonable economic life.  Even though a well-maintained forklift can remain in operation for over 20 years, its economic life is far shorter as it becomes harder to justify the expenses required to maintain the unit or the opportunity costs associated with lower levels of productivity.

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