used forklifts Colorado

How to Shop for Used Forklifts in Denver, CO: A Comprehensive Guide

Buying a used forklift is a cost-effective way to equip your business with the machinery it needs without breaking the bank. However, purchasing a used forklift comes with its own set of challenges, especially if you’re new to the process. To ensure you find a reliable and suitable forklift that meets your business needs, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to shop for used forklifts in Denver, CO.

  1. Define Your Business Needs: The first step is to clearly understand your specific operational requirements. An experienced used forklifts Colorado dealer suggests you consider the following:
  • Forklift Type: Determine the type of forklift that best suits your needs, such as electric, propane, or diesel forklifts. Electric forklifts are ideal for indoor use and are quieter, while propane and diesel forklifts are better suited for outdoor environments.
  • Lift Capacity: Evaluate the maximum weight the forklift will need to lift regularly. Overestimating can lead to overspending, while underestimating can result in operational inefficiencies.
  • Lift Height: Consider the height to which the forklift needs to lift, particularly if you operate in a warehouse with high shelving.
  • Attachments and Features: Identify any specific attachments or features, such as side shifters, rotators, or specialized forks, that will enhance the forklift’s functionality for your operations.
  1. Set a Realistic Budget: Establishing a budget is crucial when shopping for used forklifts. Factor in not only the purchase price but also long-term costs such as maintenance, fuel, and any necessary upgrades or repairs. Keep in mind:
  • Initial Cost vs. Long-Term Savings: A cheaper forklift may seem attractive initially, but if it requires frequent repairs, it could cost more in the long run.
  • Financing Options: Some reputable dealers, like Preferred Equipment Company in Denver, offer financing plans that can help you spread out the cost of the forklift, making it easier to manage your budget.
  1. Find Reputable Sellers in Denver: Choosing a reliable seller is one of the most critical steps in purchasing a used forklift. Look for:
  • Local Dealerships and Equipment Suppliers: Visit local dealers like Preferred Equipment Company that specialize in used forklifts. They often provide warranties and service packages that independent sellers may not offer.
  • Online Marketplaces: Platforms like eBay, Craigslist, or specialized equipment sites can have good deals, but exercise caution and verify the seller’s credibility.
  • Equipment Auctions: Auctions can offer competitive prices, but there’s less assurance about the forklift’s condition, making a thorough inspection crucial.
  • Rental Companies: Some equipment rental companies sell their older fleet at discounted rates, which can be a reliable option as these machines are typically well-maintained.
  1. Thoroughly Inspect the Forklift: Before committing to a purchase, conduct a comprehensive inspection of the forklift. If you’re not mechanically inclined, consider hiring a certified forklift technician to assist you. Key points to check include:
  • Exterior Condition: Look for any visible signs of damage, rust, or excessive wear on the forks, mast, and tires.
  • Mechanical Performance: Test all major components, including the engine (for non-electric models), hydraulics, brakes, steering, and lift mechanisms.
  • Safety Features: Ensure that essential safety features, such as seat belts, warning lights, and horns, are fully functional.
  • Maintenance History: Request maintenance records to see how well the forklift has been serviced. Regular maintenance is a good indicator of the machine’s reliability and future performance.
  1. Evaluate Maintenance Records and Service History: Understanding a forklift’s maintenance history can give you insights into its reliability and potential future costs. Key records to look for include:
  • Regular Service Intervals: A well-maintained forklift should have consistent service records indicating routine checks and repairs.
  • Major Repairs: Be wary of forklifts with a history of frequent major repairs, as this could indicate ongoing issues.
  1. Consider Warranties and Financing Options: Some sellers, including Preferred Equipment Company in Denver, offer warranties or extended service plans on used forklifts, providing added peace of mind. Additionally, inquire about:
  • Warranty Coverage: Understand what is included in the warranty, such as parts, labor, and the duration of coverage.
  • Financing Solutions: Explore financing options that can help manage your cash flow, making the investment more accessible.

Shopping for used forklifts in Denver, CO, requires careful consideration, but with the right approach, you can find a reliable, cost-effective machine that fits your business needs. By assessing your requirements, setting a realistic budget, thoroughly inspecting potential forklifts, and negotiating effectively, you’ll be well on your way to securing the perfect addition to your fleet. Preferred Equipment Company is here to help you every step of the way, offering used forklifts, flexible financing options, and expert advice to ensure you make the best choice for your business.

Who Should You Call to Check on Used Forklifts Before You Buy Them?

When you want to purchase used forklifts, Denver is just about the best city to go to in the United States. With so many construction projects underway and the city having started expanding for years, there are a lot of construction companies that have either gotten rid of, or are looking to part with their older forklifts and to upgrade to new ones.

used forklifts Colorado

Basically the construction industry in Colorado in and of itself is creating the supply of used forklifts, so you won’t have to look too far in order to find them. Sometimes you can deal directly with the company itself, but many times they will sell to a third party that buys and sells construction equipment and safety gear on a regular basis.

Your best choice for finding the type of forklift you want is to visit one of these services and ask about what you’re searching for. They’ll be able to provide you with helpful advice and support, assist you with learning more about forklift models that your company can actually use, and get you the exact model that you need. When it comes to purchasing used forklifts Colorado has a lot to offer, so it’s definitely worth looking around and taking your time before you choose any particular forklift model.

The Benefits of Buying Used Forklifts for Your Warehouse

used forklifts Colorado

Buying a forklift for your business is a choice that has to be made carefully, as you don’t want to spend too much money or get something that won’t help you. In many cases, a used forklift might even be a better choice than a new one. So let’s take a closer look at how used forklifts can help make your workhouse more efficient without the usual cost and effort involved.

First of all, it stands to reason that used forklifts will be a lot cheaper than regular ones. A new forklift can cost a lot of money, so the price reduction associated with a slightly depreciated, second hand forklift can help a lot when it comes keeping your investment low.

Despite being less costly, used forklifts can still be somewhat new and also fitted with some of the best features, safety elements and performance specs of the time. Preferred used forklifts Colorado dealers say that, like buying a second hand car, purchasing a used forklift can give you a lot of similar benefits of a new one, but at a much lower price.

There will also be more experts who know all about using one of the older models than a brand new forklift. Newer controls and features might take time to learn and you might not even need some of them for what your company is doing. So you could just end up spending a lot of money on something you won’t even use.

How to Properly Organize Your Warehouse for Speed and Efficiency

used forklifts Colorado

Having to manage a large warehouse is not something you want to leave to chance. Even though your employees might already have a set of instructions on how to conduct their work inside the warehouse, how to access wares and stored materials and how to use equipment safely, you can always do something more to organize everything so the work will be smooth and there won’t be any safety concerns.

The first thing you should do is see which activities have safety concern and place additional measures to ensure total safety. Forklift use is one of these activities, and you have to constantly make sure that the regulations regarding forklift maintenance and allowing only qualified, OSHA-trained workers on the premises should be observed on a constant basis. You can find the best well maintained used forklifts Colorado has at Preferred Equipment Company.

Working with heavy and large materials also has to be regulated through clear safety and organization protocols. The use of pallet racks in this case can greatly reduce safety concerns and speed up the work. Moreover, it’s important to make certain that the weight of larger items is properly distributed along large racks and shelves so as not to create an imbalance that could lead to an accident or at least cause difficulty when retrieving certain items.

Regaining Some Capital After Cutting Back: Where Can You Sell Your Used Forklift?

used forklifts in Colorado

Selling a forklift is no easy task. While some businesses might be willing to buy them off your hands, these days not many businesses actually have a need for a large additional vehicle to add to their warehouse. Still, while some businesses suffer as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, others actually have a lot more work to do than they did before COVID. So you can definitely consider selling used forklifts in Colorado for a good price, as long as you find a buyer who needs it.

Places like the NFE can provide you with one of the many avenues you can take to sell your forklift conveniently and without much difficulty. Such companies will offer to buy your forklift and some of them will even ship your forklift for you, so you don’t have to cover the costs.

Another way to sell your forklift is by creating an online ad or a social media ad. Businesses will take interest as long as you promote your ad properly, and you might find yourself receiving a few bids pretty quickly.

Of course, not everyone will offer you a good enough price, and you might find yourself forced to hold on to the machine for some time. However, as long as you take the time to list all the qualities and features of your second hand forklift, you should be able to get a fair price on it without much of a problem.

A Guide to Getting Your Employees Forklift Training

All machinery operators need to receive proper training before being allowed to operate any device. If you are using forklifts in your business, you have to offer training to any new employee in charge with operating it.

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Here is how to set about this task:

  1. Check Out OSHA Rules and How-To Guides

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) creates the rules for employee new and used forklifts Colorado training and certification. This is your starting point to find out what kind of training forklift operators need. You will also find many helpful downloadable materials, which explain what kind of skills forklift operators need to have and how to test them.

  1. Create Your Own Training Program

If you don’t want to spend money on outsourcing forklift training, you can develop your own plan in-house. In order to do so, make sure that:

  • Evaluate hazards related to forklift operation at the workplace
  • Write down step-by-step guide for operating, maintaining and inspecting the forklift
  • Create an evaluation plan to check if the employees actually retained what they learned
  • Consider refresher training modules on a periodic basis.
  1. Hire a Specialized Employee Training Company

If you do not want to go through the trouble of preparing your training program, you can hire a company to do that for you. Forklift Colorado training centers are OSHA certified and will deliver the exact type of instruction your employees need.

Should You Consider Buying or Renting a Forklift for Your Company?

If your business is growing and you’re able to buy taller shelves or even a small warehouse, then it might be a good idea to get a forklift as well. Depending on the items that you store on your racks and shelves, getting them up to taller areas can be difficult and time consuming, not to mention dangerous. A forklift can take away all those issues and make sure that your business continues to move and expand smoothly.

used forklifts Colorado

Deciding on buying or renting a forklift can be quite difficult at first. Of course, everyone loves the idea of ownership, and according to those that sell used forklifts in Colorado, investing some money in buying a forklift might not be a bad idea. Your business is going well, and once you have your own forklift, you can keep it moving along without a problem, and without any added expenses.

However, you will also have to think about maintenance and wear and tear over time. Your forklift might have to be replaced early due to unforeseen damage or a flaw in the design, and that can happen early on, when you are still counting on your investment to pay off.

On the other hand, renting the forklift at such a time during your business’ evolution can be a more sensible and practical option. You’ll still be able to use your forklift, but you don’t have to pay huge amounts to get it repaired or replaced. The rent will also allow you to avoid making risky investments and keep your business expanding in a progressive and predictable manner.

The Most Common Issues to Consider When Using Forklifts

Forklifts make handling stored items and products a lot more convenient than any other machine. With the help of a forklift, you can easily move and reorganized items inside your warehouse in record time. However, it’s also very important to get the most affordable used forklifts Colorado suppliers offer suited for your tasks.

used forklifts Colorado

With that in mind, here are a few essential considerations and tips to remember when choosing a new set of forklifts to buy or rent for your company:

  • Accidents can happen almost under any circumstance. However, when using a forklift that’s too unstable and weak, then they will most certainly happen more frequently. To avoid this issue, make sure you look for forklifts that can handle the weight and the height of the boxes and packages you load them up with.
  • Cheap forklifts break down more easily than average priced ones obtained from quality brands. So make sure you don’t cut the spending too much when it comes to buying or renting out forklifts for your most important and time-sensitive tasks.
  • Some forklifts have worse controls and steeper learning curves than others. This is essential to understand especially when you have boxes stacked on top of each other on tall racks, and you need your forklift operator to be able to handle the machine with extreme precision.

Important Things to Check When Buying Used Warehouse Equipment

warehouse management

When you want to buy warehouse equipment, purchasing it new isn’t always an option. Used warehouse equipment, however, can often be found at a great price and in fairly good condition depending on where you buy it from. Aside from saving you a lot of money, it can also ensure that you’ll be able to begin operations as quickly as possible without having to look too far.

The most important thing to consider when it comes to buying used warehouse equipment is durability and sturdiness. You’ll want to make sure that any racks and shelves you buy can withstand the weight of the items you want to store and that their structural integrity doesn’t have any crucial imperfections that could result in damaged goods or hazards for your employees. Used forklift Colorado suppliers emphasize that you should consider safety and practicality above all else.

For forklifts and other functional items, you’ll want to make sure that they work and that they don’t present any impairments that are particularly difficult to repair or expensive to manage. In many cases, you might be tempted to buy a newer, more expensive version of a certain piece of equipment, which might be available at a low price, but also requires “some” repairs. Make sure you consult a warehouse liquidation expert before accepting such offers, or better yet, go for the sure thing and aim for reliability and function rather than advanced features.

How to Save When Outfitting a New Warehouse

Outfitting a new warehouse is not an easy job, and the first things that can help you to save money in the process are calculating exactly your storage needs and optimizing the existing storage space.

You will need a warehouse software to identify those products that are the most popular and purchased, because you will have to invest in racking and other equipment necessary to group them smartly and make them as accessible as possible to reach their end goal.

Preferred Equipment Company

Preferred Equipment Company management professionals suggest that, if your business is new, you should also consider its future growth and match it with your space and equipment.

All these aspects may be a bit intimidating, but if you are worried about the money you will have to spend in the process, you must know that second hand equipment can be easily found and will likely be affordable for you. Used storage racks and other warehouse equipment are quite easy to inspect, so you do not have to worry too much about potential hidden defects. Besides, they are easy to install, because most of the parts come readily assembled.

Another way to save when outfitting your new warehouse is by opting for economical industrial lighting (led lighting systems).