Choosing a forklift to buy can be a difficult process, especially when you know nothing about them. That’s why we’re here, to help you in your journey to find the most suitable forklift for you and your business!

New or Used?

One of the big questions when buying a forklift is; should I buy a new forklift or a used one? Although buying a new forklift can cost a lot of money, the benefits are outnumbering.

With a new forklift, you have the peace of mind that everything will be in working order and you’re getting a high-end forklift brand new straight from the factory. If you don’t want to pay one big lump sum for a forklift there are also a range of hire options you can look at, which allows you to pay for a truck over a certain period of time. This is beneficial to smaller companies who can’t afford to pay outright for a new truck, therefore using options such as contract hire, leasing and hire purchase gives those companies the opportunity to pay weekly or monthly fees for a set period of time.

On the other hand, buying a used forklift truck can be a better alternative when it comes to deciding between new or used. With a used truck, the price is far more reasonable than it is with a brand new one, and you don’t have to worry about pesky weekly or monthly payments until the time period ends. The more affordable prices allow you to pay outright, giving you the peace of mind that you own the truck and haven’t hired it. A lot of worry’s that come with used Forklift Trucks and Warehousing Equipment are the quality of the trucks and the wear and tear on them from the previous owners. This can greatly depend on the dealer of the truck. Here at Langley Mechanical Services, we offer a great quality and reliable used trucks as an easy alternative to buying a brand new truck.

Forklift Fuel Options

Internal Combustion Engine Forklifts (diesel and gas/LPG) are a lot different to your standard electric forklift. These trucks are a lot cheaper to purchase than electric forklifts however they cost a lot more to run due to refuelling costs and sometimes the installation of a refuelling station. An internal combustion forklift tends to be required for lifting loads over 5 tons and can be used outdoors and in the rain.

If you’re going to buy an electric forklift, then there are a few factors to take into account. The batteries in an electric forklift tend to last around 8 hours at a time before they need recharging and though the cost of the truck itself is usually higher, the operating costs are lower. These trucks tend to be quieter and don’t need extra room for fuel storage however, they need about 8 hours recharging time which requires charging stations as well as another 8 hours for cooling time. They are also not suited for outdoors and cannot be used in the rain.

There you have it, our do’s and don’ts for the maintenance of your forklift. For information about our New and Used Forklift options please contact us on 01773 763546, email us at andrew@langleyft.co.uk or contact us here. Make sure to keep up to date with Langley Mechanical Services by following us on Facebook.

“Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”

This is what ‘Regulation 5 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998’ states about the maintenance of your forklift. Maintaining a Forklift or any type of work equipment is vitally important. This is not only for yourself but for the safety of your employees and colleagues. Not maintaining your forklifts and equipment efficiently and regularly can lead to serious accidents. It can also lead to breakdowns and unwanted halts to production. Below we have discussed the do’s and don’ts of maintaining your forklift and other warehouse equipment.

Dos – Maintenance and Service of your Forklift

If you’re looking to get the most of your forklift, then daily and pre-shift checks are key. This means checking fluid levels are constantly topped up, as well as general maintenance. This is to ensure potential problems are identified early so they don’t become threatening in the future.

General maintenance of your forklift ensures smooth working equipment and safety in the workplace. To get the most out of your vehicle, scheduling regular maintenance based on the recommendations of the manufacturer is key. Don’t get into a routine of not checking your forklift regularly! By doing this it can lead to things like flat tyres, leaking fluids, brakes that don’t work correctly etc.

Dos – Thorough Examinations in Accordance to LOLER and PUWER Regulations

Thorough Examinations are a legal requirement that all trucks within a company are inspected by an approved person in accordance to LOLER and PUWER regulations. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) require that all lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be planned by an approved person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), aim to make working life safer for anyone using and coming into contact with machinery and equipment. These regulations aim to ensure that all machinery and equipment is; regularly maintained to ensure safety, only used by people with the correct training and inspected by an approved person.

There you have it, our do’s and don’ts for the maintenance of your forklift. For more information about our Maintenance and Servicing options please call us on 01773 763546, email us at andrew@langleyft.co.uk or contact us here. Make sure to keep up to date with us by following us on Facebook.

Are you looking to buy, lease or hire a new or used forklift? Well look no further! For more than 30 years, Langley Mechanical Services have been partners with STILL Forklifts, offering the most comprehensive range of Forklift Trucks and Warehousing Equipment available.

Our Wide Range of Forklift Trucks

STILL Forklifts have provided customers with a wide range of varying Forklift Trucks and Warehousing Equipment for decades. The manufacture of their high-grade Electric, Diesel and LP Gas trucks has stormed the Materials Handling Industry from as early as the 1920s.

STILL provides an extensive range of products. These products are widely distributed in the Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and Leicester area by Langley.  We offer a range of Trucks and Equipment. These include Electric and IC Counterbalance Forklifts, Reach Trucks, Order Pickers, Hand Pallet Trucks, Powered Pallet Trucks, Pedestrian Stackers and fully automated solutions.

Buy, Lease or Hire Equipment

Buying a Forklift Truck outright can be a hassle as well as financially draining on your business. Luckily, at Langley Mechanical Services, we provide a range of finance options that offer an easier solution for businesses who are looking at new Forklift Trucks or Warehousing Equipment.

For medium or long term hire, Leasing is the best option for you. You pay an agreed monthly instalment rate and simply return the vehicle when the payment period ends.

A quick and simple way to hire one of our vehicles is through our hire purchase option. With arranged monthly payments, this is a great opportunity for your investment financing or if you’re looking to hire a forklift for hours, days or weeks then contract hire is the way to go with our extensive range of available Trucks.

If you’re not looking to buy a new forklift outright then why not look at our range of Used Warehousing Equipment and Second Hand Forklifts? You get high-quality forklift as well as a cheaper alternative to its brand new counterpart.

Unrivalled Service and Support

Having been in business for a long time, we know what makes working with us a success: Our Service! The special, individual and flexible service provided by Langley Mechanical Services is aimed at what serves you better. You determine which of our services you want to call on! From Repairs, Thorough Examination checks, Maintenance, Full Service or Driver Training, we’ve got it all.

If you’re looking to purchase a forklift, or if you’re looking at finance options, please contact us on 01773 763546 or email us at andrew@langleyft.co.uk. You can also contact us via our contact page here. Make sure to keep up to date with us by following us on Facebook.

Although driving a forklift may look simple and straight forward, it’s not. If an inexperienced driver took to the wheel of a forklift in a working environment like a large warehouse, they can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage. They can also run the risk of, in some cases, injury or even death. Not having the right amount of training or any training at all is dangerous. This is one of the main reasons approximately 400 people are injured every year from forklift-related accidents.

The Main Cause of Forklift Accidents

Driving a forklift truck takes a lot of skill and manoeuvrability as well as valid training and driving without it is against the law. If a company/business were to be caught letting employees without sufficient training or the correct qualifications drive forklifts on site, it could result in the company being fined heavily or even imprisonment. There can also be an increase in cost for the business. Accidents causing damage to the building, the goods you are working with and the equipment itself will need to be paid for. This means that repairs and new parts are required.

For more information on our Forklift Driver Training courses or to find out which course is most suited to you, please call us on 01773 763546 or email us at andrew@langleyft.co.uk. Make sure to keep up to date with what we’re up to by following us on Facebook.

How to Look After Your Forklift Battery

Around 30% of the total cost of your new electric forklift is the battery as it is your fuel for the next few years; as such it is important to take good care of it. A poorly maintained battery will cause unnecessary downtime and repair costs and will need to be replaced much sooner at significant expense.

Inspections

The battery and charger should always be checked as part of your daily routine

• Check the water levels as detailed below – and always top up after a charge, not before.
• Spilled acid is both conductive and corrosive and will commonly be noticed as white clumps around the cells. This should be removed as it will dramatically reduce the battery life by causing the battery to discharge – even when not in use – and will also generate additional heat during charging.
• It is important to have a service agreement in place where an engineer visits 3 times a year to ensure your battery continues to run efficiently and will have a longer lifespan.
• The charger should be installed in a safe area, away from general vehicle movement and with all cables off the floor. Regularly check the plug and socket of the charger.

Charging

The most efficient time to charge your battery is when it reaches 80% discharge

• Discharging the battery too low harms the battery and could cause the electrical components to run hot – you will also notice your truck will not perform at its peak. Never allow a battery to lose all charge.
• Battery life is based on charging cycles so only charge your battery when necessary and the level is sufficiently low. The more you charge, the more life you drain from the overall performance of the battery.
• Avoid opportune charging – short charges will decrease the efficiency of the battery. Rather than charging during a lunch-break, let the truck and battery cool to prolong the battery life.
• If possible, try not to interrupt a charging cycle and allow until it has completed.
• Try and schedule the workload around charging times to reduce downtime
• If the battery is overheating or there is a strong sulphur smell, call an engineer and take the battery of charge immediately.
• Explosive hydrogen is produced when charging, so never allow sparks of naked flames near a charging battery.
• Best practice is to allow a battery to cool following a charge, before using.

Water

Do not allow the water levels to drop too low in the cells and always top up after a charge, not before

• Check the water levels regularly. Typically a new battery will need topping up every 10 charges and a reconditioned battery every 5.
• A dry battery cell will burn out and cause permanent damage and loss of forklift performance.
• Always top up using distilled water.
• Do not overfill the cells as the water and acid will corrode the battery.
• Always top up after a charge and not before.

If you would like to set up a service agreement on your trucks or if you have any concerns or questions, Langley engineers are experienced in all makes of trucks so please do not hesitate to contact our team on 01773 763546 or sales@langleymechanicalservices.com.

Is Your Forklift Truck up to the Mark?

If you own or operate a truck, you are required by law to ensure that it holds a valid report of Thorough Examination. This also applies to trucks on hire. If you fail to comply with this legislation you could invalidate your insurance and you are putting yourself at risk of prosecution, or even a serious accident that could occur due to faulty equipment.

A Thorough Examination is a detailed inspection of all the safety related parts of a forklift truck. It’s a similar concept to taking your car for an MOT, but in many ways more complex.  As well as the brakes, steering, tyres, etc being checked under PUWER 98, all of the lifting components, hydraulics, chains, forks, etc are inspected in accordance with LOLER 98.

The regulations apply to forklift trucks that are one year old, and then from that point onwards a Thorough Examination will be required at least once every 12 months. Just like an MOT for a car a Thorough Examination is not part of the maintenance process and must be carried out and reported on separately.

The employers of the operator of the forklift truck is responsible for ensuring that Thorough Examinations are carried out on time and all records MUST be kept.

It is extremely important that you ensure a fully accredited company carries out the examination.  By using someone with out accreditation you are leaving yourself open to the risk of legal problems, inaccurate advice, superficial examinations that do not comply with HSE requirements and dangerous trucks resulting in serious accidents.

At LANGLEY, we were one of the first companies in the industry to be approved to carry out these examinations with the ‘Fork Lift Truck Association’.

Give our Service Dept a call now (01773 763546 or 0114 276 6999) and ask for details – examinations start from as little as £50 per truck. Alternatively, you can get in touch via our contact page here.

How Much Could You Save by Fitting an Attachment?

The STILL range of electric and engine forklift trucks are proven to save you time and money in many ways, but did you realize you could make even more savings and improve working efficiencies by fitting an attachment?

Every day throughout the UK, hundreds of vehicles are being loaded and unloaded but fork truck users could be making huge savings by reducing the loading time, travelling distances, fuel costs and damage to goods and lorry beds.  Some of the most popular types of attachments are:

Telescopic Forks (Kooi)

Faster and safer turnaround of vehicles as all the loading takes place from one side – less forklift travelling means less fuel cost. The forks can also be extended to carry two pallets at a time on longer journeys. 

Fork Positioners

The operator can easily and safely adjust the position of the forks to accommodate different sizes and types of loads.  Multi-fork positioners are also available to handle several pallets at a time therefore increasing productivity significantly.

Sideshifters

Fitting a sideshift will reduce the number of truck movements required and therefore save on time and energy – fuel or electricity. Precise movement of the load can also be achieved which reduces potential damage to the loads and vehicle.

An attachment can reduce cost and improve overall handling efficiency, however one of the main benefits is safety.  So whether you are working at height, on uneven surfaces or handling dangerous loads, a correctly specified attachment will enable a safer working environment.

Langley can provide advice of all methods of materials handling. Please call us on 01773 763546 or contact us here.