Discussion:
Battery tech discussion

In our area , majority of battery issues in forklifts is outsourced from the forklift service provider to the battery company that is preferred or that would handle warranty issues.
Most forklift technicians want to repair the lifts but don't want anything to do with batteries.
This creates a good working relationship between forklift provider and battery provider.

I am seeing more and more forklift brands coming out with their own line of batteries, and hiring techs just for battery work. This now creates complicated competition between forklift dealer and a battery provider.

Are we going to see decline in the big 3 battery brands as forklift companies brand their own batteries to put in their machines. It's even more relevant in stuff like lithium where the BMS can be locked out with their own software.

What do you think the future holds ? If your a forklift tech how do feel about repairing batteries , part of the job or other feelings ?
  • Posted 17 Nov 2023 02:18
  • By Randy_Lahey
  • joined 17 Nov'23 - 1 message
  • Ontario, Canada
Showing items 1 - 5 of 5 results.
I'm a field service engineer and have been for over 30 years and cannot understand why engineers won't touch battery repairs? I do and so do plenty more I know the onky repairs we don't do us warranty work.
As for brands fitting tgeur own batteries? Yes it happens but most still use a battery company maubky GNB or Ernersys in the UK
With Lithium things are changing most manufacturers suooky with their own batteries in the machines and field service engineers are being trained to repair them particularly the larger brands Linde etc
  • Posted 4 Sep 2024 05:26
  • By lifter01
  • joined 4 Jul'09 - 461 messages
  • West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
I can see hydrogen moving up there is a new battery that has promise the solid state quantum batteries may move up when more people start using them
  • Posted 30 Aug 2024 03:56
  • By John_Lockridge
  • joined 30 Aug'24 - 1 message
  • Missouri, United States
JohnLockridge
Lithium is a dead horse, it has its place but not in the mainstream.
Lead acid will see most of us out.
The smaller customers won't touch main dealer stealers, but plenty of independent battery service companies without all the BS overheads sucking up a good portion of work.
  • Posted 8 Mar 2024 06:36
  • By BurtKwok
  • joined 1 Apr'12 - 49 messages
  • West Yorks, United Kingdom
this is actually not new, when the hydrogen cell batteries first came out they had to have a certified tech on hydrogen cell tech to work on them, nobody else was allowed. Now with these new lithium batteries and possibly sodium they are installing electronics on them which would require training as well. The mfg would require the certified tech and it would be up to the dealer to make sure their tech's were trained.
And to be honest, back in the day we used to do our own battery repairs then if we knew how, otherwise we called the battery company to do it.
Today tech's are very picky about what they want to work on unlike a couple decades ago when most tech's i knew were cross-trained.
and what dexter said is true, the mfg is just paying to put their name on them, they are still built by the main battery mfg's in most cases.
  • Posted 24 Nov 2023 14:07
  • By swoop223
  • joined 23 Mar'12 - 3,691 messages
  • North Carolina, United States
You've been swooped!
swoop223@gmail.com
Odds are the big three are the ones supplying the batteries to the fork lift companies. just a sticker that says their brand
  • Posted 20 Nov 2023 23:18
  • By Dexter1212
  • joined 30 Nov'21 - 65 messages
  • Texas, United States

Post your Reply

Forkliftaction accepts no responsibility for forum content and requires forum participants to adhere to our rules of conduct. Click here for more information.

If you are having trouble using the Discussion Forums, please contact us for help.

Upcoming industry events …
October 6-9, 2025 - Detroit, MI, United States
October 6-9, 2025 - Detroit, MI, United States
November 14, 2025 - Melbourne, Australia
Fact of the week
The use of "hello" as a telephone greeting is attributed to Thomas Edison. He is said to have suggested it as a simpler alternative to other greetings, such as "Do I get you?" or "Are you there?".
Upcoming industry events …
October 6-9, 2025 - Detroit, MI, United States
October 6-9, 2025 - Detroit, MI, United States
November 14, 2025 - Melbourne, Australia
Global Industry News
edition #1237 - 3 July 2025
While innovation and new technology are evolving at what seems to be an ever-increasing pace, the need to capture the data (telemetry) from this tech, and the ability to utilise it (telematics) for efficiency and cost savings, is one area attracting more and more attention ... Continue reading
Fact of the week
The use of "hello" as a telephone greeting is attributed to Thomas Edison. He is said to have suggested it as a simpler alternative to other greetings, such as "Do I get you?" or "Are you there?".