Smith Power Equipment has long been a supplier of industrial and outdoor equipment such as tractors, and turf maintenance and mobility solutions and has recently included the supply of materials handling and related industrial vehicles to its offering.

The company’s national rental fleet manager Craig Tutton says its rental division aims to provide tailored solutions to suit customers across a wide spectrum of industries and to become a turnkey provider of materials handling solutions for all equipment needs.

He says that Smith Power Equipment has developed an innovative business model that allows customers to test equipment before purchasing an item. This helps generate short-term rental revenue while encouraging customers to make long-term purchases.

Tutton explains that a rental option also ensures that customers can maintain uninterrupted operation and production uptime, when permanent equipment is unavailable as a result of faults or maintenance.

“Sales of this type of machinery have also taught us that uptime is crucial for customers in the materials handling industry as it directly impacts their business and profitability and we recognise that reliability is a critical requirement. Due to the industries’ demand, Smith Power Equipment has developed a fleet that covers all these demands from agriculture, brick yards, construction, retail, cold stores, manufacturing, logistics and transport, port operations, and warehousing. The fleet currently includes both diesel, electric forklift, big trucks, and reach trucks.”

Customers also have the option to rent for specific durations, to help optimise operating expenses either for the duration of a project or to diversify a fleet in line with changing market conditions. This is especially beneficial for seasonal and project rentals.

Tutton notes that the company plans to include additional industrial rental solutions in its range with product offerings that include agricultural, turf, construction and other equipment.