Industrial trucks: technology, use and selection

Industrial truck is the umbrella term standardised in ISO 5053 for ground-bound conveying equipment that is not rail-guided. It covers forklifts of all designs, high-lift pallet trucks, reach trucks, pedestrian stackers, rough-terrain forklifts and telehandlers. In everyday language, 'industrial truck' and 'forklift' are often used synonymously - technically, the forklift is a subgroup. This guide explains the individual designs, the legal framework under occupational safety rules (Act No. 309/2006 Coll.) and the selection criteria that really make the difference in practice. It is aimed at dispatchers, site managers and buyers preparing a purchase or rental decision.

The Luibl rental fleet covers all relevant designs, from the electric pedestrian stacker to the heavy-duty telehandler Manitou MHT 10200 with 20 t load capacity. We rent classic forklifts in diesel, electric and LPG versions with up to 16 t load capacity. Machines are delivered by low-loader from Passau throughout the Czech Republic.

Not in our range: automated guided vehicles (AGV). Although technically they also fall under the occupational safety rules for industrial trucks, they are not operator-controlled industrial trucks and are not part of our rental fleet portfolio.

Counterbalance forklift (counterweight truck) By far the most common design. The counterweight at the rear balances the fork load. Universally usable, from the 1.5-tonne warehouse truck to the 16-tonne heavy-duty forklift.

Distinction by drive: Electric forklifts are suitable for indoor areas, food logistics, pharmaceuticals, freezer warehouses and anywhere exhaust fumes or noise must be ruled out. Modern lithium-ion units now manage single-shift operation without a battery change. Their weakness remains outdoor use in wet and cold conditions: if units stand outside in permanent frost, battery life is noticeably shortened.

Diesel forklifts are the robust choice for outdoor use, construction sites and heavy loads. All current Luibl rental units meet the EU Stage V emissions standard. In enclosed halls, diesel units are ruled out - the workplace exposure limits under applicable Czech safety rules cannot be met without elaborate ventilation.

LPG forklifts are the classic compromise: lower emissions than diesel, more powerful than electric, and permitted in well-ventilated halls. In practice they are ordered less often than they used to be, because electric units have caught up technically.

Reach truck The lifting mast can be retracted between the wheel arms. This eliminates the large counterweight, making the unit more compact and able to drive in narrower aisles. Typical use: high-bay warehouses with aisle widths under 3 m and rack heights up to 13 m. Available exclusively as an electric version.

Pedestrian stackers and high-lift pallet trucks Low-lift pedestrian trucks transport pallets close to the ground, typically for order picking and goods receipt. The operator walks alongside or rides on a step platform. High-lift pallet trucks are tiller-guided units with a lifting mast of up to several metres - an intermediate solution between a pure transport device and a counterbalance forklift. They make sense in operations that regularly store goods on two to three rack levels but do not have the volume to justify a full-size forklift.

Rough-terrain forklift Robust design with off-road tyres, increased ground clearance and often four-wheel drive. Essential as soon as the site is unpaved - construction sites, timber yards, building material stores, agriculture. A normal counterbalance forklift with SE solid rubber tyres fails on soft ground and gets stuck; this is a common reason for expensive emergency re-orders.

Telehandler Combines the forklift with an extendable telescopic boom. Reaches significantly greater lift heights and outreach than conventional forklifts. By changing attachments (forks, bucket, work basket, winch, concrete skip), it often replaces three individual machines on the construction site.

• Fixed telehandlers: fixed superstructure, classic construction machinery profile, lift heights up to about 20 m.
• Roto telehandlers (Roto): 360-degree rotating superstructure. Luibl offers Magni RTH and Manitou MRT - lift heights up to 39 m, usable at Luibl with an attachment change as an aerial work platform (basket) or crane (winch).
• Heavy-duty telehandlers: Manitou MHT 10200, 20 t load capacity - used for industrial installations, relocation of heavy machinery, wind energy.

Heavy-duty forklift A category of its own from around 8 t load capacity. Typical applications among Luibl customers: metalworking (coils, girders, sheet metal bundles), container handling, tool and mould transport in the automotive industry. Forklifts up to 16 t are regularly dispatched from the Passau rental depot.

The honest rule of thumb from rental fleet dispatch: below 1,200 operating hours per year, renting almost always works out better. In between - 1,200 to 1,800 hours - it is a trade-off that depends on interest rates, maintenance costs and flexibility requirements. From around 1,800 operating hours per year, the forklift is effectively running in two-shift operation and buying becomes economical.

What is often overlooked: the operating hours calculation only applies if the requirement profile remains stable over the holding period. If the hall layout, product mix or racking technology changes regularly, renting remains the clean solution - even with high utilisation. A purchased forklift that no longer fits is a millstone around your neck; a rental unit can be swapped for another one next Tuesday.

Telehandlers with a winch replace a mobile crane on many construction sites. This works reliably when:

• the loads to be lifted are below the rated load capacity of the telehandler - at the required outreach, not at the nominal value. The telehandler's load chart drops steeply as outreach increases.
• the site has a load-bearing standing area (telehandler supported on outriggers or on wheels on level ground).
• the lifting frequency is low to medium. For series lifts, the mobile crane is still faster.

Not sensible: lifts close to the capacity limit, lifts over obstacles with large lateral outreach, and on principle any lifting work involving people - that is then again a job for an aerial work platform, not a crane task. For 80 % of construction site lifts, a roto telehandler is sufficient. The remaining 20 % should honestly be calculated with a mobile crane company, not with an overloaded telehandler.

What is the difference between a forklift and an industrial truck?

Industrial truck is the umbrella term under ISO 5053. Forklifts - more precisely fork-lift trucks - are the best-known but not the only subgroup.

What qualification does the driver need?

A forklift operator licence (operator training) and a written authorisation from the employer; regular refresher training is recommended. Luibl provides an operator briefing on the specific machine at handover.

How often does a forklift have to be inspected?

Periodic inspection under Government Regulation No. 378/2001 Coll. For Luibl rental units, the periodic inspection is part of the rental scope.

How much does it cost to rent a forklift?

Long-term rental of a standard forklift €30-80/day, short-term rental €10-25/h. The exact calculation depends on design, load capacity, rental period and location.

Is a work basket on a forklift permitted?

Only for short-term, occasional work with a firmly connected, approved attachment. For regular work at height, an aerial work platform is required.

Does Luibl deliver at weekends?

Yes, with its own low-loader fleet from Passau. Collection on Friday and return on Monday at the daily rate is possible depending on location - please send your enquiry directly to dispatch.

Which countries does Luibl deliver to?

Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Hungary and other European countries - delivered from Passau.