The term "swings and roundabouts" could have been coined specifically for forklifts. When one part of the market is up, another slides. So it's interesting to read this week about a surge in short-term rentals in the UK. Clearly, demand for forklifts is holding up despite the global economic downturn, but as businesses close the investment tap, new purchases may be out of the question. So it makes sense to hire a forklift to do the work. It's a win-win: the customer gets a machine for its needs, dealers get much-needed income and manufacturers are able to offload some inventory to dealers. It would be interesting to hear if this is happening in other markets as well.