The Challenging Lead Times of Manufacturing Forklift Parts

Since the world ground to a halt in the spring of 2020 lead times on any product that requires more than a few parts have been variable. For those of us the in the materials handling equipment business lead times have been a particular problem as not only were our manufacturing inputs affected, but our order books exploded. Demand soared as the supply chain itself was put under pressure and the pace of change in warehousing and distribution took off in every direction.

What does all this mean to the end user of forklifts? It means that prices are up, in some cases over 40%, and that lead times nearing 2 years are becoming commonplace. Amongst this gloomy outlook I do spot a few bits of good news that I can share with my loyal customers.

If you are looking for warehouse equipment, Yale has the shortest lead times of all the major brands available. In most cases our reach trucks, order pickers, rider and walkie jacks are 6-8 months away. Our stand-on forklift models can be delivered in 12 weeks right now! Though it is true that some sit-down electrics, propane and diesel powered forklifts are shipping with 60-100 week lead times, we have found some creative ways to get our customers alternative solutions.

Are you concerned about your current equipment? Will long lead times lead to higher repair bills and lower reliability? Do you have the right mix of enough equipment to handle the changing marketplace? Give me a call and we can look at all the possibilities together.

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