Red diesel deadline options
BUSINESSES USING red diesel-powered forklift trucks in their warehouse facilities need to be prepared for a hit to their operating costs when the Government’s red diesel subsidy ends in a few weeks’ time, warns Tracy Clarke, UK energy sales manager for Linde Materials Handling.
She says: “This is one of the biggest changes to happen to warehouse operations for many years, yet there is a huge variance between companies that are aware of this and believe they have it in hand to the ones that are aware but don’t know what to do, through to those that have not the first notion that this is even happening and are in for a big shock.”
The choice of energy system has become an increasingly important factor in intralogistics, with particular attention being paid to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). With this in mind, it is not just the purchase price that plays an important role when buying a forklift truck but also the operating costs and therefore the energy price. Each customer will have their own requirements, including space for refuelling or charging, energy costs, and environmental sustainability.
“We are advising customers to not panic and instead look at all available options – from switching to an all-electric fleet to maintaining their existing combustion engine trucks – depending on what their individual requirements are,” continued Tracy.
“We provide our customers with detailed calculations to compare the different energies to help them make the right decision.
“At this stage there is no ‘magic bullet’ for dealing with the end of the red diesel subsidy, which is why our consultancy team is assessing our clients’ individual operations before making recommendations based on their specific requirements – there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.”
For more information, visit www.linde-mh.co.uk
