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How to Get Great ROI and Cut Material Handling Costs

Investing in electric forklift trucks makes great environmental sense, but what are the costs involved? An electric fleet could actually help you cut your material handling expenses, yet there are still some misconceptions about what electric trucks can offer.

Material Handling // 6 min read

Manufacturing 101: Essential Equipment and Considerations You Need to Know

If you’re running a manufacturing operation, there are a number of different types of material handling equipment you need to know. Discover how the correct equipment can optimise daily activities, enhance operator productivity, reduce costs and more.

Material Handling // 4 min read

How Big Data Can Unlock Your Forklift Fleet Management

At TCM, we know first-hand that the material handling industry is full of surprises. And as new technologies emerge, the possibilities are endless. In this article, we explore the impact of big data on fleet management. Read on to find out more.

Material Handling // 4 min read

How To Adapt Your Operation for Downtime: COVID-19 & Your Business

Have you reduced or paused your operation as a result of COVID-19? Though your operation may be experiencing greater periods of downtime than usual, safeguarding your essential workers and maintaining your forklift investments should still be a priority. Read on to learn more and discover how we can support you.

Business Development // 5 min read

TCM Finalist In The FLTA Awards 2020 For Innovation And Ergonomics

TCM is proud to have been nominated as a finalist in the FLTA Awards 2020 for Innovation and Ergonomics. Read on to find out more about our award-nominated forklifts and discover how they could help transform your operation.

Material Handling // 4 min read

Key Questions You Should Consider Before Buying Your Next Forklift

As a warehouse manager, you have a lot of operational decisions to make. You want your business to run as efficiently and safely as possible, but you also want to maximise profits.

To help keep the most vital business operations at the front of your mind, we’ve created this forklift buying guide for you to quickly and easily refer back to whenever it's needed.

Material Handling // 6 min read

Forklift Contract Hire vs. Purchase: How to Make the Right Choice

With the option to choose between contract hire, renting, or purchasing your next forklift truck outright, which approach will best meet your needs?

Material Handling // 4 min read

How to Support Customers Through Changing Times As TCM Dealer

The material handling industry is changing. With 2020 just around the corner, how will you adapt to customers’ changing needs? Read on for our top four tips and advice.

Business Development // 4 min read

Why TCM's Dealer Network Is Built On Customer Partnerships

At TCM, building valuable, long-term partnerships with our customers is at the core of what we do. Read on to discover how we help businesses transform their operations, what this looks like in practice, and how we could support your organisation.

Material Handling // 3 min read

How to Support a Diverse Range of Customer Needs As A Dealer

As the material handling market is evolving, your customers’ needs are changing with it. Discover how we can help you as a TCM dealer to support a wide range of diverse customer requirements.

Business Development // 3 min read

How To Achieve Your Business Objectives As TCM Dealer

At TCM, we work closely with our trusted dealer network to improve material handling operations around the world. Here’s what this looks like in practice so that together, we can ensure a fully unified sales process for every customer, every time.

Material Handling // 3 min read

The Latest Material Handling Industry Trends: TCM Dealer Summit 2019

On 10th April 2019, TCM dealers from across Europe gathered at The Belfry Hotel & Resort near Birmingham to discuss the past, the present, and the future of the material handling industry. TCM also announced some exciting new product launches.

Material Handling // 3 min read

3 Warehouse Optimisation Techniques You Need to Know

When looking to cut costs and improve efficiency, certain warehouse optimisation techniques can help. Here are three practical solutions you can’t afford to miss.

Material Handling // 2 min read

Overview Of The FD 60-100 Diesel Counterbalance Truck Relaunch

This month saw the exciting relaunch of our FD 60-100 diesel counterbalance truck model. Explore its new and improved features and updated look here.

Material Handling // 3 min read

Improve Warehouse Productivity Overnight: For Operations Managers

From injured operators and drained batteries to low data visibility, operational downtime causes a multitude of warehouse inefficiencies. Learn how to improve warehouse productivity today.

Material Handling // 4 min read

TCM Dealer Conference 2018 Looks to the Future of Material Handling

On May 15th, 46 delegates joined us in Budapest for The TCM Dealer Conference 2018 to discuss the future of the material handling industry and the key trends shaping it.

Material Handling // 3 min read

Results From The Material Handling Survey 2017

For the past couple of months, we have been running a survey to inform our upcoming 2017 report on material handling and how the equipment and processes used can impact business productivity.

Whilst we are still collecting responses, a predominant theme so far is a growing awareness to think ‘beyond the truck’ or beyond the legislation when it comes to investing in material handling equipment, and actually consider the business implications that come with a truck purchase.

Costs and productivity are inevitably interlinked. Ongoing requirements like fuel, along with unseen implications on downtime and storage can impact the level of work getting done and the required cost to keep things on track. That can have big implications for businesses.

Let’s take a look at three of the trends from our material handling survey

1. Downtime and non-contract damages are considered the largest hidden costs

When asked what the most prominent hidden costs of a forklift purchase are, the strong majority was with both downtime and non-contract charges or damages. Both feature far higher than the need for extra storage or operators in order to actually run the truck.

It's interesting to note that both of these have significant influence over the levels of productivity in a business, as downtime and damages can severely impact the time a truck can be driving ROI.

2. Lifetime costs are seen as more important than the cost of the truck itself

Lifetime costs of forklifts are seen as more important than simply the cost of the truck itself as 81% of respondents agreed that lifetime costs were very important, compared to only 47% agreeing that the cost of the truck is very important in the buying process. Those that agreed with both could well highlight that this is an emerging trend and shows a move to more educated purchases in the industry.

With these responses in mind, it was telling to see that truck performance and efficiency are the most researched prior to a purchase which links to the total cost of ownership (TCO). Respondents are starting to look to the future when making purchases rather than simply the upfront costs.

Paul Freeman from CAM Forklifts notes that "It is really encouraging to know that end users are recognising that cheaper trucks can be more expensive over the longer term, especially when this can lead to a lack of truck availability and can also create further problems for the clients' operational need, adding to daily running costs.

3. Truck performance, safety, battery and technology are the most popular innovations

We want to make sure that we are writing articles on topics which really matter to the industry and so are asking respondents to tell us which innovations capture their attention the most. Out of the options provided, truck performance, safety and battery technology are currently coming out on top in some way.

Whilst safety is to be expected when there is a whole host of legislation to be compliant with, the presence of battery technology in that list suggests that people are looking towards the future and potentially considering the now-announced 2030 legislation. Our emphasis on the future there is largely down to the indication from the results that of those interested in battery technology, only 60% are actually using electric trucks as part of their material handling equipment at the moment.

Malcolm Mitchell from Amvar agreed that this is something to be paying close attention to, saying that "battery technology is the number one issue right now in my opinion, and finding energy solutions for our customers is a priority".

Ian Coulman from Carrylift Group said that ''innovations in battery technology are increasing the number of low maintenance options available with innovations such as lithium-ion. These innovations will increase the percentage of users of electric trucks, who will be able to adapt their fleets in line with the new 2030 legislation.'' 

So what happens next?

Ultimately, doing the research and considering future costs and impact on the business can really save you money. It's good to see that whilst the cost of the truck is (and no doubt always will be) an important element of the purchase, it's certainly not the be-all and end-all.

All of this said, we are looking forward to hearing more opinions to really gain a broad picture of the current state of material handling. The final report will go into more depth on the findings from the survey, seeking to provide advice on the areas which are most needed and you can influence what that actually looks like.

Download the TCO guide to reduce your operational costs today

Material Handling // 3 min read

What Makes TCM a Global Force in Material Handling?

An increasing number of businesses are choosing to have one company they partner with to manage the material handling needs of whole continents, rather than having different manufacturers by country.

Material Handling // 2 min read

How To Become A Valued Forklift Supplier?

Too many companies are attentive before the deal is done, and then once the contract has been signed, they're too busy to call. 

Material Handling // 2 min read
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