Warehouse facilities need a fleet of forklifts to perform daily operations. Some businesses, however, might not have it in their budget to afford new, high-quality forklifts or their motive power batteries. The good news is that certain distributors will advertise motive power batteries and motive power battery chargers that can either be rented or bought used.
If you’re contemplating which of these motive power equipment purchase options would work best for your warehouse’s needs, there are a few things every warehouse maintenance manager needs to keep in mind when choosing to rent or buy used motive power batteries and their motive power battery chargers:
Do You Need to Save Money?
The number one reason business owners choose to rent motive power batteries and motive power battery chargers is to save on warehouse costs. Renting motive power batteries reduces up-front battery costs to free up capital for other expenses. Depending on the style of forklift battery you need, such as a waterless or powerline battery, for example, the cost for a new motive power battery can cost anywhere between $5,000-$7,000—while monthly rental costs can range from $200-$600.
When you work out the math, the immediate costs of renting a forklift battery may be a fraction of buying a new industrial battery outright, even if you choose to rent the battery on a per-week or even a per-quarter basis. However, some warehouse managers see a greater benefit in buying pre-owned industrial batteries because the total cost of ownership overtime can often be lower than the cost of renting motive power batteries for an extended period of time.
What are Your Short-Term and Seasonal Needs?
The decision of warehouse owners/managers on whether to rent or buy used forklift batteries and forklift chargers can often be based on having to meet a temporary or short-term need. For example, an industrial warehouse preparing for a seasonal shift in their workload to keep up with demand may not see the benefit in buying new or used motive power batteries and motive power chargers if that extra equipment will just end up sitting idle until the next busy season. This leads to a waste of warehouse space and having money sitting on the table doing nothing.
A warehouse maintenance manager who decides to rent the motive power batteries can still easily meet the seasonal spike in demand, and then simply return the equipment once the season is done. This not only saves warehouse space and capital funds, but it avoids consuming the time and labor it would take to maintain motive power batteries and motive power battery chargers that are not in use.
Is Your Warehouse Facility Growing/Expanding?
If your warehouse facility is looking to expand its operations, this can lead to a tight budget. Costs for remodeling expenses, acquiring new permits, and hiring new staff all adds up— leaving less room for a warehouse’s budget to afford the costs of new motive power batteries and other forklift equipment.
Renting the motive power equipment can help improve productivity and prepare for future growth without adding more strain and burden to a warehouse facilities operations budget. There are also some motive power battery manufacturers that will offer a “Lease to Buy” program where the payment for rented or leased motive power batteries or motive power battery chargers can be applied to a later purchase. That way, warehouse maintenance managers who are expecting a new budget release in a few months can still purchase the forklift batteries that are needed for immediate use.
Do Your Forklifts Have Limited Use?
All motive power batteries and motive power chargers has a limited useful life. Once this life is exceeded, the equipment typically suffers from compromised performance. Often times, the process is made even quicker due to improper forklift battery maintenance procedures. Something as simple as overcharging your motive power batteries can dramatically reduce its life use by several years.
Southern State Enterprises offers a “Three Years and Out” leasing option where a warehouse is able to use their forklift battery for three years before we replace it with a new motive power battery. By switching out these assets, a warehouse’s motive power equipment is kept up-to-date to meet industry standards.
Another important factor for warehouse managers to remember when choosing to rent or buy used motive power batteries is the warranty guidelines of new and used forklift batteries and motive power battery chargers. Buying a new motive power battery will automatically have its warranty covered by the manufacturer, but there is no guarantee from distributors of used motive power equipment. This can become a problem in terms of motive power battery maintenance.
Be sure to always verify with the rental company who is responsible for the maintenance of rented equipment. Daily maintenance of motive power batteries will typically fall to the warehouse renting the equipment, but the rental company may also offer a separate maintenance plan to ensure a forklift batteries productivity during the duration of the rental.
Southern State Enterprises is an all-in-one service and distribution warehouse center that helps industrial businesses meet their expectations. Our motive power battery and motive power battery charger options are sure to fit any criteria your warehouse facilities operational needs for all forklift brands and models. For more information, contact us or check out our catalog for more motive power equipment options!
