Video series testifies for propane-powered forklifts

Which power source you choose for warehouse lift trucks can have a big impact on cost and productivity, but making that decision can be confusing. To help with that decision, a proponent of propane-powered forklifts has released a series of videos that aim to educate material handling professionals about common misconceptions regarding indoor usage, emissions, and cost of the widely used fuel.

Produced by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), the three-part series includes videos that feature:

1. An explanation of propane's quick refueling process—simply swapping out an empty propane cylinder for a full one—and its ability to minimize downtime;

2. A discussion of propane's versatility, including its suitability for working both indoors and outside; and

3. A comparison of the acquisition and operating costs for propane forklifts with costs for forklifts using other fuels, including the argument that capital costs for a propane forklift are 30 percent less than those for an electric truck.

"The videos shed light on a few of the key benefits linked with propane that, if overlooked, can prevent facilities from operating at maximum efficiency," Jeremy Wishart, PERC's director of off-road business development, said in a press release. "Ninety percent of Class 4 and 5 operators are choosing propane forklifts over diesel or electric to handle their material handling needs, and this video series will help facility managers understand why."