Wholesale International has been in the business of buying and selling forklifts for over 30 years. That is a lengthy period of time. In order to survive the test of time in the business world, a company has to have a certain set of principles and values that guide its operations. A company also needs to have a tactful management team to understand market changes and needs over time. The owner of our company has been in the material handling business since the 1960’s. That is over 50 years of experience in one field! Needless to say, he has seen it all when it comes to forklifts.
One of Wholesale International’s core beliefs is representing equipment honestly and providing accurate descriptions of any machine that is available for sale. Every piece of equipment that we advertise for sale has been inspected by our team. After identifying any potential issues, a work order is written up for our mechanics to resolve. We are able to do this because we have our own building, mechanics, and shop equipment.
In our economy you have ebbs and flows of growth and recession. You need to enjoy the boom but also make provisions for the inevitable slowdown that occurs in any business cycle. You also need foresight to be able to spot where there is an area in the industry that is not being fulfilled, thus creating a new business to service that gap. An example is our rental company Interstate Heavy Rentals. Many companies out there may need a large capacity forklift for a short term, such as a month. A new 65,000 lb. pneumatic forklift costs roughly $430,000.00 and a company cannot justify that expense, so they look for alternatives. Forklift dealers rental fleets usually end at 15,000 lb., whereas a 15,000 lb. forklift is considered small for us. Now there are several companies out there copying what we started!
It has been interesting to look back at the days of taking Polaroid photos of a forklift and having to “Fedex” them to a customer for their viewing. Now the internet has taken over and totally changed the way things are done. It has been for the good as far as being able to email photos, video conferencing, and now internet phone systems. But the internet has also opened the door for people portraying themselves as a forklift company when they work out of their house, the shady dealings on Craigslist, and more scams and viruses than ever. But that is for the next topic. When buying or selling a forklift, just make sure you research who you are dealing with. It is always smart to do business with a reputable company that has been around for 30 plus years!