Short-term rental forklifts are an option for companies that are on a tight budget. Forkliftaction.com News reporter Christine Cranney investigates the latest trends in rentals since our last report in 2009.

Two of the world's leading forklift manufacturers are seeing an increase in short-term forklift rentals while some Chinese players are yet to fully maximise the benefits of the short-term rental fleet.

Toyota Material Handling Europe has noticed increased demand in short-term rentals over the past few years and expects further growth in the sector.

"[The] reason for the increase is the unstable economic environment with demand for more flexibility in running the materials handling fleet," spokeswoman Akiko Elmwall tells Forkliftaction.com News.

Elmwall adds that TMHE has one of the largest rental fleets for intra-logistics materials handling equipment in Europe. "We are continuously working with our customers to optimise their fleet. Size is not our focus."

Meanwhile, Linde Material Handling's Detlef Sieverdingbeck says the German forklift manufacturer has also observed "a noticeable increase" in short-term rental demand - so much so that Linde has "expanded [its] short-term rental fleet significantly".

"Strong demand is coming out of seasonal business and also booming and emerging markets like Europe, China and South Asia. We are expecting further growth and [so] we are expanding our short-term rental fleet," he says.

Linde expects the sector to post a growth rate this year similar to 2011. Last year, the short-term rental fleet grew 4.5% to 29,000 trucks.

Sieverdingbeck adds that Linde is optimistic about the growing sector and will have special financial solutions for it. "On short-term rental, there is no financial package but, depending upon the market, seasonal or targeted industries, offers are done on a regular basis."

E-P Equipment, the only Chinese forklift company to receive the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for one of its forklifts, has not experienced any significant increase in demand in its rental business the past year.

However, Adam Ding from Sino-American Zhejiang UN Forklift Co Ltd (UN) says his company is now focusing on forklift rentals to boost its competitiveness.

"There are so many forklift manufacturers [in China], but few of them are doing well on the rental market," he says. "UN thinks this is a very good new point to increase the profits and make us more known to the customers."

Ding explains that prior to this year, UN's main focus has been on developing its global marketing activities. The company has exhibited at logistics fairs in Brazil, Russia, Germany and the US. "And of course, we are in almost every big fair in China. Our forklifts have gained a very good reputation during those fairs and the UN brand has increased its brand value."