Beware 'too good to be true'

In a difficult economic climate some forklift suppliers are offering cutprice deals, but businesses need to read the small print to spot the hidden costs, warns Allan Parsons, short-term rental manager for forklift truck firm Briggs Equipment. He says that companies offering deals 'too good to be true' often make their money back through inflated delivery charges.

"We recently conducted a spotcheck survey which revealed staggering differences between initial hire prices and delivery charges. In addition, the equipment supplied could also be as old as 10 years which increases the risk of high mainten ance and repair costs," he said.

"During seasonal periods where uptime is vital, the most important aspect to consider is the age of the equipment. An old machine will be less reliable and could let you down at the worst possible time."