Electric forklift battery maintenance is crucial to extending the lifespan of your batteries and enhancing the performance of your forklift fleet. All operators should be trained in the basics of forklift battery maintenance to ensure the longevity of your lift trucks and pallet jacks.  Battery Charging Protocols When it comes to charging your lift trucks and maintaining your batteries, you should stick to a specific protocol. Batteries can only be charged for a certain number of cycles, so you will need to charge them on schedule rather than on convenience. Charging them without a schedule can end up shortening the life of the battery.  We recommend that you charge the battery after an eight-hour shift or after it's discharged more than 30% of its battery life. Charging the battery too often before it's down to 30% can diminish the lifespan of the battery. Other recommended charging tips include: Once you've charged the battery, allow it to charge completely. If you cu...

  If you've been looking for a new forklift to add to your fleet, you may be wondering if you should get a gas forklift or an electrical forklift. Gas-powered forklifts have always been a staple in many warehouses and facilities, but electric forklifts have also become available, offering an alternative to gas.  At Trupar America, we've put together a guide on gas and electric forklifts to help you make the right choice for your business!  Gas Powered Forklifts  What are the Benefits of Gas-Powered Forklifts? From moving heavy materials around your warehouse or loading goods onto trucks, gas-powered forklifts are a great asset for your business—these work using internal combustion engines that use different types of gas to function, such as compressed natural gas, gasoline, diesel, and liquid petroleum gas.  These are excellent tools for everyday operations, with advantages such as: Easy on your budget- When you purchase a gas-powered forklift, you can expect an...

Whether you are closing down temporarily or operating at a decreased capacity, your forklift operation may have decreased or stopped completely. This means you need to ensure your forklifts are stored properly so they remain in good condition.  At Trupar America, we've put together some tips on how to store your forklifts for extended periods of time, such as during inclement weather, shutdowns, or to accommodate seasonal needs.  Start By Cleaning Your Forklift Before you store your forklift for an extended period, you need to thoroughly clean the unit. Make sure to remove any debris or mud from the unit. This will help prevent you from having to deal with hardened dirt and debris when it comes time to take the unit out of storage.  Also, this will also help prevent unnecessary downtime or repair and service costs to get the unit back into working order.  Additionally, you want to clean the forklift battery. This should be done at least twice a year or every six mont...

As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, it's important to remember to take extra safety precautions when operating a forklift. Here are a few winter forklift safety tips to keep in mind: Inspect Equipment Regularly Just as you would with any other piece of machinery, it's important to inspect your forklift regularly to make sure that it's in good working condition. In the winter, pay special attention to the battery and tires. The cold weather can cause batteries to lose power more quickly, so make sure they are fully charged before each shift. Also, check the tread on your tires and replace them if necessary—good traction is essential for preventing accidents on slippery surfaces. Be Aware of Your Surroundings When operating a forklift in winter conditions, it's important to take your surroundings into account. Be on the lookout for icy spots on the ground and be careful when driving over them. Also, keep an eye out for snow build-up on shelves or racks—if...

If you work in a facility that handles materials, such as a warehouse, it is likely that you need to move around a lot of products and other materials. It is critical that these products, parts, or materials remain undamaged during storage or when moved throughout the warehouse. If you lack the proper equipment and systems at your facility, it can lead to damaged products and diminished productivity.  At Trupar America, we recommend that you purchase the proper material handling equipment that is specifically designed to handle your materials and is built for greater efficiency. The right equipment can help you remain competitive in your industry while also increasing productivity among your workforce.  While we offer a great selection of material handling equipment, you may be wondering where to start when looking to purchase the proper equipment. At Trupar America, we have put together a comprehensive guide on material handling equipment to help you get started. What You Nee...

  Routine and proactive maintenance is the way to make your machine handling equipment last. While the advanced technology and moving parts of your machinery add value to the workplace, they also can increase the likelihood that you'll experience problems.  At Trupar America, we've put together the top daily checks you should make on your forklift equipment to stay ahead of any problems and ensure your equipment is safe to operate.  Create a Daily Checklist Provide employees with a physical checklist they can walk around with and use to check off each task they need to do. This works well for smaller companies providing employees with a guide so that nothing is forgotten. If you have a larger organization, we recommend that you include completion and sign-off for each item. With either a sheet of paper or via a digital tablet, your employees should be required to check a box after each component is checked. This will help to ensure that all daily checks are completed, and...

  Trupar America is proud to announce that we have joined the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) to enhance our business and take our customer service to the next level!  What is MHEDA? MHEDA is a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association dedicated to serving all segments of the material handling business community. For over 65 years, MHDEA has provided material handling companies and employees with: Leadership training Business resources Networking opportunities Career development tools Benchmarking data Insights on industry trends Its mission is to help enhance its members’ success through superior programming in the areas of networking, education, and benchmarking. Established in 1954, MHDEA has been led by hundreds of volunteer directors who worked to make MHDEA the growing national trade association it is today.  With over 600 members, MHEDA is a thriving association supported by the finest distributors, manufacturers, and factory-owned branches ...

With shipping delays and supply chain issues caused by COVID-19, it's critical to keep certain Clark forklift parts on hand to keep operations running smoothly. At Trupar America, we've put together a list of common Clark parts we recommend you keep on hand. Commonly Replaced Clark Forklift Parts to Stock Up On The experts at Trupar America recommend that you keep the following commonly replaced Clark forklift parts in stock to keep your forklifts running efficiently: Oil and Hydraulic Fluids Oil and hydraulic fluids are critical to the life and operation of your forklifts. With a stock of oil and hydraulic fluids on hand, you will be able to keep your lines clean and your levels topped off, ensuring you get the most out of your machinery. Lubricants We also recommend keeping chain and cable lubricant and innerslide lubricant on hand. This will keep everything running smoothly and prevent you from interrupting operations to wait until you have the right products. Air and Oil ...