Discount Lift Rentals has added five Toyota forklifts

An entrepreneurial seller and rebuilder of Japanese-made engines and transmissions started Discount Lift Rentals LLC in Houston as an equipment rental business in 2013.

Mohit (Mike) Jagwani established Engine World Inc in 2004 with some engines imported from Japan, a 5,000 sqft. (465 sqm) warehouse and two employees.

"We have come a long way since then," says Jagwani, president and chief executive officer overseeing multiple interrelated business entities including the rental initiative. "Robust marketing and diversification strategies helped us grow three-fold."

Utilising what Jagwani describes as a "huge warehouse for rebuilding," the organisation's technicians can remanufacture any diesel or gasoline engine utilising a significant reservoir of knowledge and expertise.

"We have very low overhead," he notes in explaining why he started the forklift rental business. "The same people who sell engines can rent forklifts." The greater Houston metropolitan area is the principal rental market with the remainder of Texas as a secondary market.

Jagwani adds, "Our rental rates are lower than rates offered by big corporations as we have three inter-related businesses under one roof so we pass on the savings to our customers. Our rental rate for a 5,000 lb (2,250 kg) warehouse forklift is approximately USD400 per week, and our equipment is newer and fully maintained." Jagwani says he has 15 years' experience in equipment rentals.

The inventory for Discount Lift Rentals includes Toyota, Komatsu and Caterpillar warehouse forklifts with lift capacities of 3,000-10,000 lb. (1,350-4,500 kg) and Genie variable-reach telescopic boom trucks of 5,000-12,000 lb. (2,250-5,400 kg). Recently, Jagwani added five Toyota forklifts to the rental firm's fleet.