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<<  July 2014  >>





There are a number of fleet management cost cutting strategies that will save the company money, but only after weeks or months. One option that cuts costs from the first day of operation is investing in a Multi-Shifter battery lifter.

Lower Liability And Worker Time Off

Even if you've been handling batteries for years, it's still easy to be surprised by just how heavy a chunk of lead can be. Workers not prepared for the weight of batteries can strain muscles. If the unit is not gripped tightly it can slip and fall on someone's food, or even crack the cell cover and spray acid. Worker's compensation claims and sick days as employees recover from battery-related injuries can be significant costs.

The safer way to replace batteries is to use a hydraulic battery lifter. Workers are protected from strain injuries, and the power cells are gripped tightly so they won't fall. Fewer injuries not only reduce company liability and costs, but improve worker morale.

Less Downtime

Manual replacement of batteries is slow and inefficient. Workers have to move carefully to ensure the power cell is removed safely, and then the unit has to be taken to the recharging station. The new cell has to be inserted just as carefully to avoid injury. This downtime reduces fleet productivity as both forklift and driver sit there idle through the process.

Swapping power cells with a battery lifter takes a fraction of the time over doing it by hand. The old cell is easily popped out and a new unit placed before the driver even has a chance to get comfortable. The forklift is placed back on the line much more quickly. Productivity improves across the fleet as each truck is able to get more done in a day.

Reliable Batteries And Forklifts

A good maintenance program extends the life of both the forklifts and the power cells. Running equipment to failure simply runs up repair and replacement costs. Despite this, some fleet managers extend maintenance periods to get the most work out of each forklift, balancing equipment costs against productivity levels.

Battery lifters mean fleet managers don't have to make that choice. Since power cell replacement goes so quickly, it doesn't significantly affect downtime. Batteries are replaced at optimal discharge points and can be kept in service far longer than cells that have been deep discharged. Forklifts have fewer maintenance problems associated with excessively discharged batteries.

Fleets large and small benefit from battery lifters from the first day the equipment is put into service. Why wait when you can start saving money today? Contact Multi-Shifter today and let us help you choose the battery lifter that is right for your fleet.