Forklifts play a crucial role in a wide range of industries, including warehousing, logistics, construction, and manufacturing. These versatile machines are essential for efficient material handling and can significantly impact your business operations. If you're in Australia and looking to invest in forklifts, choosing the right manufacturer is vital to ensure you get reliable, high-quality equipment that your customers will love, and the support system that you need to sell with confidence.

Here are a few key factors to consider when selecting forklift manufacturers in Australia.

• Reputation and Experience: Start by understanding the companies you are dealing with. Don’t forget, their reputation will have an impact on yours. If you are championing a brand that runs into trouble, that could have a negative effect on your business. Check out what their customers think, but also look at their business stability to avoid any nasty surprises. 

• Range of Products: Consider the range of forklift models offered by the manufacturer. Every business has unique material handling requirements, so it's important for a manufacturer to offer a wide range of products to suit your customer’s needs. Having one brand for everything simplifies part and service solutions, so choosing a brand that can cover most of your customer’s requirements makes your business easier to manage.

• Customization Options: Flexibility is key when it comes to finding the right forklift manufacturer. Search out manufacturers who can customize their products to meet any specific requirements you or your customer base may have. This may include modifications such as attachments, height variations, or specialized features that align with the industry needs you mainly deal with. A manufacturer that offers customization options can provide a tailored solution that gives a better user experience and keeps your customers happy.

• Quality and Reliability: Forklift quality and dependability should come first. Look for manufacturers that adhere to stringent quality control processes and use high-grade materials in their manufacturing. Check user reviews to see what their experiences are. Try and avoid those with lots of unhappy end users, as this can mean a high percentage of warranty claims and other issues that you will need to deal with.

• After-Sales Support and Service: Consider the after-sales support and service offered by the manufacturer. Ultimately, you will be the first port of call for any customer issue, and even the best brands will have issues along the way. What you are looking for is a manufacturer with established parts supply systems, warranty claim solutions and so on in place, so that you have the right support when it matters.

• Pricing: Compare pricing among different manufacturers, but keep in mind that the cheapest option may not always be the best. A cheap product that results in poor performance and multiple ownership issues is bad value, and will quickly impact your business’ reputation. Instead, understand your customer base and the kind of price and performance they expect. Balancing cost and quality to hit a price level your customers will accept is the goal.

• Warranty and Service Agreements: Evaluate the warranty and service agreements offered by the manufacturer. Do you need to carry out the work? If so, what are payment terms on warranty work? You don’t want to be left out of pocket for warranty work, parts and so on for months, check out manufacturer policies to know where you stand.

The brands you offer to your customers reflect on your business and reputation, but also contribute to the work your business must do to support consumers. Get your forklift manufacturer choice wrong, and you may spend half your working day dealing with unhappy customers, warranty claims, repair or performance issues and so on. Choose correctly, with a trusted, reliable and robust range of products, and you can have customers that love the products you provide, and as a result, have a positive view of your business as well.

Always remember that when choosing a manufacturer for today, think about future markets too. Building a relationship with a manufacturer can be useful in terms of service, and you may want to continue that relationship moving forward. Predicting the future is never easy, but always consider whether a manufacturer has a range of products that can grow with your business over time.

We are here to help with all your stick choices, offering unbiased advice to help you find the ideal equipment for your customers. With a wide range of equipment available from multiple manufacturers, we are here to help you make the informed choices that matter.

Whatever your machinery needs, talk to us today and we will help you find the best solution for your business.