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    Shrinking warehouse availability poses a significant hurdle for small businesses.

    Shrinking warehouse availability poses a significant hurdle for small businesses (no text)

    When it comes to warehouse storage, it might be time to consider building UP, not just shelling out!

    Cushman & Wakefield reported that the quarterly vacancy rate for US industrial real estate was down to 3% as of Q1 2022, with little chance of easing up in the future.

    Then, in October, Peter Frerichs of Global Trade Magazine reported: “While some analysts believed the constricted supply of warehouses would abate some, it appears to have worsened.” this has proven to be a costly hurdle for small businesses that rely heavily on rentable warehouse space.

    With leaseable space being gobbled up by larger corporations such as Walmart & Target, small businesses have had to get more and more creative – utilizing trailers and parking lots to store additional inventory. Unfortunately, this solution has led to an even larger logistics nightmare. Increased demand and containers still waiting offshore at US ports for unloading have created a container shortage for overland transportation.

    But what is the best solution for businesses that need space now? Cooperative partnerships have worked for some businesses – where multiple small businesses partner to purchase or build a shared warehouse space. But there is another alternative available – building UP. Reach trucks, stand-up riders and order pickers have made scaling warehouses easier for businesses that need to maximize the space that they already have.

    Adding additional racks has proven an invaluable solution for some businesses that can’t afford to purchase additional real estate to expand their business.

    Looks like reaching for the sky has a new meaning, at least in the warehouse & logistics business!

    Miner Material Handling at HOUSTEX

    Miner Material Handling Booth at HOUSTEXOur Dealer Partner Miner Material Handling attended the Houstex trade show, an industry-leading southwest manufacturing trade show!

    The 2020 Housetex trade show took place at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston Texas.

    The Houstex trade show is an interactive experience that dedicates itself to acting as a showcase for industry-leading technologies in fields such as welding, robotics, and heavy machinery.

    Our Friend and Partner, Miner Material Handling is a long-time Doosan partner and seller of Doosan Forklifts, Pallet Jacks, and electric reach trucks. They also supply their customers with forklift service, rentals, and parts for ALL makes and models.

    If your business is located in the Houston Texas area and you are in need of electric forklifts or an electric pallet jack be sure to check out Miner Material Handling’s website, Linked In Profile, or Facebook page.

    Thank you so much again to Miner Material Handling for representing Doosan in Houston Texas, we look forward to many more years of partnership with your team!

    Government Forklift Purchasing Made Easy(er) with Doosan

    Sourcewell & Doosan Government ContractingDoosan’s partnership with Sourcewell has revolutionized how federal government agencies, state agencies, and local agencies purchase their material handling equipment. Whether your department requires electric forklifts or a new reach truck, Doosan has the equipment (and price) for you.

    Doosan Material Handling in Government Agencies Via Sourcewell

    Sourcewell has rapidly expanded on its goal of becoming a one-stop-shop for government contract management and purchasing. For example, when suppliers such as Cascade Engineering & Recollect recently joined the Sourcewell network, entire local government sanitation departments can now complete all major purchases through their platform.

    Registering with Sourcewell to Take Advantage of Doosan’s Pricing Incentives

    Sourcewell is not just for government agencies. Schools, Universities, & nonprofits can also benefit by registering for free. The online registration only takes a few moments to complete. There are absolutely no obligations to purchase any equipment when you sign up.

    Agencies registered with Sourcewell have a dedicated member of their staff trained both on Sourcewell’s & the ins and outs of government purchasing. The purchasing process and the necessary steps you will need to complete before finalizing your purchase. At Doosan, Connor Cameron will be here for you through every step of your pallet truck or reach forklifts purchasing process.

    Why should I be interested in cooperative purchasing? Why not just directly contact a forklifts dealer?

    Cooperative purchasing is “Procurement conducted by, or on behalf of, one or more Public Procurement Units” as defined by the American Bar Association Model Procurement Code for State and Local Governments.

    When you purchase through Sourcewell, you can be sure you are only dealing with the very best vendors in the country. The procurement team handles everything from the development of requests for proposals, public notices and advertisements, and RFP openings for you. Essentially: they handle all the democratic headaches so you don’t have to!

    Are you ready to save with Sourcewell & Doosan? Contact us (or Connor) today!

    What is the Average Lifespan of a Forklift?

    Average Lifespan of Diesel, Electric and Gas Forklifts & Reach Trucks“How long should I expect my forklift to last?” should be one of the first questions you ask your friendly neighborhood forklift dealer when planning to make your purchase. Forklifts are expensive, and you want to make sure your investment will stand the test of time.

    So what is the average lifespan of an Electric Forklift? Do diesel forklifts break down faster than their gas-powered reach truck counterparts? How do regular service and maintenance come into play if I want to maximize my ROI? Today in this edition of #DoosanDeepDives, we will take a closer look at the average lifespan of a forklift and show how Doosan stacks up compared to our competitors.

    How do I determine the age of my forklift?

    A forklift’s lifespan is measured in hours of use, not years. We measure forklift lifespans in hours because different business utilizes their machines at different rates.

    Let’s think of it this way if you were looking to purchase a used forklift from a forklift warehouse dealer, which would you rather buy:

    1. A 1-year-old forklift from a significant warehouse company that ran its forklift 8 hours per day, seven days per week. (Approximately 2,912 hours total) OR
    2. A forklift from a small farm that utilized their forklift 12 hours per month for five years. (720 hours total)

    This is why we look at our machinery in terms of hours instead of actual physical age. The stress on a fork lift’s lift mast & the process of lifting and lowering equipment is what causes most forklifts to break down over time, not so much any rubber hoses cracking from age.

    Let’s Set Some Benchmarks: What is average forklift use?

    Before we can determine the lifespan of electric forklifts and reach truck longevities, we must determine what is considered “an average amount of use” for these trucks.

    Most forklifts run approximately 1,000 hours per year or more. Higher quality forklifts such as Doosan’s reach trucks can comfortably run 2,000 hours per year. Keep in mind that this estimation also includes regular maintenance on your equipment as well.

    So how long should I expect my forklift to last?

    According to Refurbished Forklifts’ article: most forklift lifespans can last between 10,000 to 12,000 hours of use. However, Doosan’s forklifts can easily surpass 15,000+ hours even when put under extreme stress. At an average of 1,500 hours per year, that is a comfortable average of 10 years! When you pair that with the fact that our reach forklifts are some of the best prices on the market, you couldn’t expect a better ROI from any forklifts dealer out there!

    The real question when it comes to your reach forklifts’ lifespan is this: at what point will the cost of repairs surpass the cost of maintaining my equipment? Because when you reach the economic lifespan of your forklift, that is the time to let the poor boy retire.

    Is my Forklift Water Resistant?

     

    Can you drive your Doosan Electric Forklift in the Rain? The short answer is: maybe!

    Forklift water resistance is rated with what is called a Ingress Protection code (IP) code. This code is sometimes referred to as the Internal Protection code. It is found on your forklift’s rating plate. This information will inform you what environments you can operate your forklift in. But is it ever safe to operate an electric forklift in the rain?

    What does the water protection rating on my forklift’s IP code mean?

    Good question! The water protection rating refers to how much water can squeeze through gaps and reach the internal components of your forklift. The highest rating that a forklift can have for water resistance is 8. Each rating corresponds to a very specific level of water resistance.

    The water resistance rating levels are as follows:

    Level 0 Forklift Liquid Ingress Protection

    No Protection against water whatsoever. Don’t even sneeze near a piece of material handling equipment with this rating.

    Level 1 Lifting Equipment Liquid Ingress Protection

    Material Handling equipment will not suffer damage when exposed to verticle droplets.

    We test this level of forklift safety by dripping water over a forklift for a 10-minute duration. If your forklift has a safety rating of 1 or higher, you can assume that it is safe to drive through mist or a very slight drizzle.

    Level 2 Lift Truck Liquid Ingress Protection

    Level 2 Forklifts can survive falling water from a 15° angle.

    We test this level of water resistance by tilting the equipment 15° on two axes. We also continuously spray the forklift with water for at least 3 minutes. The amount of water used during this test is equivalent to less than a half-inch of rainfall.

    Level 3 Fork Lift Liquid Ingress Protection

    Any forklift holding a level 3 IP rating can withstand a spray of water at any angle up to 60°.

    The level 3 test consists of two phases. Phase one involves spraying a forklift with a spray nozzle for five minutes. The second version of the test utilizes an oscillating tube for 10 minutes. This level of water corresponds to a 3mm rainfall.

    Level 4 Reach Truck Liquid Ingress Protection

    Water splashing against a lift truck will not harm the equipment.

    We test this level of protection with an oscillating fixture and a spray nozzle. We spray our forklifts down for a minimum of 10 minutes to test. When a forklift has a level 4 rating, it means that it can withstand water splashing against it from any direction.

    Level 5 Fork Truck Liquid Ingress Protection

    5 IP water ratings indicate trucks that can withstand projected water.

    This test lasts approximately 1 minute per square meter for at least 3 minutes. The water pressure used during this test is 100kPa or 15 psi at a distance of 3 meters or less. On a strange note, 15psi is the maximum amount of pressure that most Instant Pots can operate at!

    Level 6 Reach Forklift Liquid Ingress Protection

    This IP asserts that your forklift will not suffer harm from 15 psi of water or less from any direction. This test lasts 1 minute per square meter for a minimum of 3 minutes. The water volume utilized during this test is equal to 100 liters of water per minute at a pressure of 100kpa at a distance of 3 meters or less.

    Level 7 Warehouse Forklift Liquid Ingress Protection

    This level of forklift certification states that your forklift can survive total immersion in water, up to 1 meter. We perform level 7 tests for 30 minutes at a time.

    Level 8 Electric Forklift Liquid Ingress Protection

    This level of forklift certification states that your forklift can survive continuous immersion in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer.

    Did you know Forklift Rodeos are a Thing?

    Forklift rodeo trophy displayed in the image.

    Move over Cowboy, Forklift Rodeos are Here!

    While traditional rodeos have been around since the 1800s, Forklift rodeos are a new phenomenon that has hit the material handling world by storm.

    Let’s face it, safety training isn’t always super entertaining. But what if there was a way to make forklift safety and operation competitive & fun? Enter the Forklift Rodeo!

    The best part is that these lift truck rodeos can be done in any setting where you utilize your reach trucks! Regardless of if you are training your technicians to run their fork lift in a shipyard, warehouse, or even construction sites, holding a rodeo might be a fun way to promote safety & training exercises for your team!

    What are forklift rodeos?

    A forklift rodeo can be anything from an obstacle course that is completed in a single run, to a series of individual tasks that your team can complete individually. It is also important to remember that there are no rules when it comes to these rodeos.

    Reach trucks and fork trucks are perfect competitors for a forklift rodeo. You can also hold your rodeo in any type of environment. But we suggest using material handling equipment and environments similar to where your lift truck technicians normally operate.

    What do I need to hold a forklift rodeo? How do I host a forklift rodeo?

    Not much really! Well, not any more than you already have in your warehouse.

    Obviously, you need a forklift. The rest is up to you depending on what safety key points you want to focus on or skills you want your employees to show off. We do suggest having at least some pallets or boxes that are similar in size to what your technicians normally interact with during their day-to-day jobs. SafetyVideos.com’s list of forklift safety practices is a good jumping-off place to start coming up with ideas!

    What are some ideas for my forklift rodeo obstacle courses?

    First you should think about what areas your employees need additional training in. Are your technicians bumping into shelves? Try running a rodeo that has lots of tight twists and turns! Some other ideas include:

    • Balancing beams across forks of the lift truck and have employees turn corners
    • Placing pallets & boxes inside marked areas
    • Stacking items securely and perfectly in piles
    • Moving a forklift without spilling a bucket of water or dropping balls rolling around on a pallet.

    For even more ideas, check out this amazing rodeo video from SafetyVideos.com!

    Mike Cody, Eastern Regional Business Manager, Yellowstone Fan

    Mike Cody has been kind enough to answer any and all questions related to used forklifts this month during our #DoosanDeepDive. When not keeping an eye on business at our Atlanta offices, Mike can be found instructing new members of our sales team to assisting customers with their growth goals.

    “Tell us a little about your background, are you a UGA alum?”

    No, I am originally from the Northeast and attended Rutgers University.

    “The title of Eastern Regional Business Manager is quite impressive! Tell us a little about the journey that led you to Doosan Industrial Vehicles of America.”

    I have been in the industry for 32 years with pretty much all of my prior experience being on the dealer side of things.  I started as an aftermarket rep at a Clark Dealership in Richmond, VA.  My last position prior to joining Doosan in 2016 was Executive V.P. at Eaheart Industrial Service where I was responsible for the day to day operations of their 3 forklift branches in VA.

    “Out of all of the products Doosan Industrial Vehicles of America sells, which one do you still get excited to talk with a customer about? Why?”

    The new warehouse products are the most exciting to discuss because they give us an opportunity to participate in high-volume deals.

    “Sales can be a high-stress and high-stakes job. What is your favorite way to relax a bit at work when you get the chance?”

    Being a remote employee doesn’t allow much of an opportunity to relax “at work”.  When I am in the Buford Office I enjoy catching up with people and discussing how life is treating them

    “College football is starting up, who do you root for?”

    Primarily Notre Dame, but I like most teams from the Northeast.

    “Let’s be honest, during the Pandemic we all got to spend some time in front of Netflix. What show did you enjoy the most during 2020?”

    While not on Netflix, Yellowstone was my favorite binge-watch.

    Used Forklifts: The Dirty Truth.

    During this week’s #DoosanDeepDive we will be taking a closer look at the wide world of used forklifts to determine who is a good candidate to purchase a used forklift. We will also be answering questions such as: How to spot quality used lift trucks and how to spot dishonest fork truck dealers. 

    What type of business can benefit from a used forklift?

    According to our Eastern Regional Business Manager, Mike Cody, any business that is looking to run their forklift less than 40 hours a week would be a good fit for a used reach truck. Used lift trucks are also a good fit for businesses that do not have a large amount of money set aside for the purchase of a new truck or are not interested in going through the process of financing a new electric forklift. 

    How much should I expect to pay for a used lift truck?

    There are many different types of reach forklifts available on the market and each kind has its price point. Keep in mind that depending on the accessories and functions you are looking for price can vary widely. Visiting a reputable forklift dealership is always a great starting point on your search.

    Because forklifts hold their value extremely well, you can expect to pay approximately 75% of the original cost. However, during times of scarcity, this price can average as high as 85%. Keep an eye on the current market and average asking price to make sure that you are not paying too much for your used fork truck. 

    What should I keep in mind before purchasing used forklifts?

    According to Mike Cody, no particular industry is better than another when it comes to utilizing new or used forklifts. But he did have the following suggestions to keep in mind before you make your purchasing decision:  

    • Companies that require their lifting equipment to run outside should probably invest in new equipment.
    • Do not purchase used equipment if you plan to work on a construction site.
    • Used lift trucks are often not eligible for normal service contracts or warranties. 
    • The cost of servicing older equipment can quickly outpace the upfront savings.
    • Always take a mechanic with you to evaluate any equipment before purchase. 

    What questions do you have about buying used fork lifts?

    Did we answer all of your questions regarding purchasing used forklifts? Comment below to have them answered!

    Don’t forget: every month we select a winner from our comment section! Winners will be announced on all of our social media channels, so if you are not already following us be sure to do so on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram so you don’t miss your chance to claim your prize!

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