A Pro XD occupant divider kit

Materials handling suppliers are offering financial support and other assistance as customers battle the impact of COVID-19.

In the United States, Toyota has announced "no payments until 2021 on all new Toyota Forklift leases".

The offer covers all Toyota forklift and warehouse equipment.

Meanwhile, Polaris Commercial and its dealers have reengineered the customer experience to assist businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measures include various financing and leasing options for Pro XD, Taylor-Dunn and GEM commercial vehicles, where commercial customers can receive 12 months no-interest financing or a USD500 credit on new equipment purchases.

Polaris is also running a grant assistant program geared toward state and local government and educational customers.

To help end-users with workplace social distancing, the Pro XD utility task vehicles can now be equipped with divider kits to help minimise direct contact between occupants. Polaris engineered the kits with clear, marine-grade vinyl to be durable for the job site and minimise impact on visibility. Installation and removal is straight-forward, with no special tools required for the sturdy straps and snaps that secure the occupant divider to the vehicle frame.

Polaris Commercial offers a comprehensive line of work vehicle solutions for transporting people and hauling equipment in urban environments and industry applications through its GEM, Pro XD, Taylor-Dunn and RANGER brands.

Across the Atlantic, Snorkel UK has launched a 'Kickstart' program. The special financing program, which is available until 31 August 2020, enables customers to buy new Snorkel or Ruthmann Bluelift products with no deposit and no payments for six months.

The program aims to help customers to get the equipment they need immediately, while maximising cashflow in the short to mid-term, as the economy restarts.

Andrew Fishburn, managing director of Snorkel UK and vice president, Strategic Accounts (EMEA), notes that this is a challenging time for customers. "They are returning to work, and they need access to equipment to meet the needs of their customers, as they restart projects. However, hire companies are also dealing with the financial impact of the shutdown period, and need to carefully manage their cashflow. That's why we created this special finance program with no deposit and no payments for six months, to support our customers during these times."

The finance program is provided by Snorkel Finance and is available to customers in the United Kingdom through Snorkel UK. It is also available to customers in Ireland through Ahern Ireland. It is applicable to all Snorkel products, including aerial lifts, material lifts and telehandlers, and Ruthmann Bluelift tracked spider lifts.