Industrial trucks: technology, use and selection

Industrial truck is the generic term standardised in ISO 5053 for floor-bound, non-rail-guided handling equipment. It includes forklifts of all designs, high-lift trucks, reach trucks, pedestrian stackers, rough-terrain forklifts and telehandlers. In everyday language, 'industrial truck' and 'forklift' are often used interchangeably - technically, the forklift is a subgroup. This guide explains the individual designs, the legal framework under the Code on Well-being at Work, Book IV (work equipment), and the selection criteria that really make the difference in practice. It is aimed at planners, site managers and buyers preparing a purchase or rental decision.

The Luibl rental fleet includes all relevant designs, from the electric pedestrian stacker to the heavy-duty telehandler Manitou MHT 10200 with 20 t load capacity. We rent out classic forklifts in diesel, electric and LPG versions up to 16 t load capacity. Delivery throughout Belgium, by low-loader to your site, with our own fleet.

Not in the range: automated guided vehicles (AGV). Technically, these also fall under the Code on Well-being at Work, Book IV (work equipment), but they are not operator-driven industrial trucks and are not part of our rental fleet.

Counterbalance forklift By far the most common design. The counterweight at the rear balances the fork load. Universally usable, from the 1.5-tonne warehouse truck to the 16-tonne heavy-duty forklift.

Distinction by drive: Electric forklifts are suitable for indoor areas, food logistics, pharmaceuticals, cold stores and anywhere exhaust fumes or noise must be ruled out. Modern lithium-ion units now manage a full shift without a battery change. Their weakness remains outdoor use in wet and cold conditions: if units stand outside in prolonged frost, battery life shortens noticeably.

Diesel forklifts are the robust choice for outdoor use, construction sites and heavy loads. All current Luibl rental machines meet the EU Stage V emissions standard. In closed halls, diesel units are ruled out - the occupational exposure limits under applicable Belgian safety rules cannot be met without extensive ventilation.

LPG forklifts are the classic compromise: lower emissions than diesel, more powerful than electric, and permitted in well-ventilated halls. In practice they are ordered less often than before, because electric has caught up technically.

Reach truck The mast can be retracted between the wheel arms. This removes the need for a large counterweight, making the unit more compact and able to operate in narrower aisles. Typical use: high-bay warehouses with aisle widths below 3 m and rack heights up to 13 m. Available only as an electric version.

Pedestrian stackers and high-lift trucks Low-lift pedestrian trucks move pallets close to the floor, typical for order picking and goods receipt. The operator walks alongside or rides on a step platform. High-lift trucks are pedestrian-controlled units with a mast of several metres - an intermediate solution between a pure transport unit and a counterbalance forklift. Useful in companies that regularly store on two to three rack levels but do not have the volume to justify a full forklift.

Rough-terrain forklift Robust design with off-road tyres, increased ground clearance and often four-wheel drive. Essential as soon as the site is unpaved - construction sites, timber yards, building materials yards, agriculture. A normal counterbalance forklift with SE solid tyres fails on soft ground and gets stuck; this is a common reason for costly emergency re-orders.

Telehandlers They combine the forklift with an extendable telescopic boom. They reach significantly greater lift heights and outreach than conventional forklifts. By changing attachments (forks, bucket, work basket, winch, concrete skip), they often replace three separate machines on site.

• Fixed telehandlers: fixed superstructure, classic construction machine profile, lift heights up to around 20 m.
• Roto telehandlers: 360-degree slewing superstructure. Luibl offers Magni RTH and Manitou MRT - lift heights up to 39 m, usable at Luibl as an aerial platform (basket) or crane (winch) by changing attachments.
• Heavy-duty telehandlers: Manitou MHT 10200, 20 t load capacity - used for industrial installations, heavy machinery relocation, wind energy.

Heavy-duty forklifts A category of their own from around 8 t load capacity. Typical uses among Luibl customers: metalworking (coils, beams, sheet bundles), container handling, transport of tools and moulds in the automotive industry. Forklifts up to 16 t are regularly deployed.

The honest rule of thumb from rental fleet planning: below 1,200 operating hours per year, renting is almost always more cost-effective. In between - 1,200 to 1,800 hours - it is a trade-off that depends on interest rates, maintenance costs and flexibility requirements. From around 1,800 operating hours per year, the forklift is effectively running two shifts and buying becomes economical.

What is often overlooked: the operating-hours calculation only holds if the requirement profile stays stable over the holding period. If the hall layout, product mix or racking technology changes regularly, renting remains the clean solution - even with high usage. A purchased forklift that no longer fits is a millstone; a rental unit is swapped for another one next Tuesday.

Telehandlers with a winch replace a mobile crane on many construction sites. This works reliably when:

• lifting loads are below the rated capacity of the telehandler - specifically at the required outreach, not at the nominal value. The telehandler's load chart drops steeply as outreach increases.
• the site has a load-bearing standing area (telehandler supported on outriggers or on wheels on a level surface).
• the lifting frequency is low to medium. For series lifts, the mobile crane is still faster.

Not advisable: lifts close to the capacity limit, lifts over obstacles with large outreach, and in principle any lifting of persons - that is a job for an aerial work platform, not a crane task. For 80 % of site lifts, a roto telehandler is sufficient. The remaining 20 % should be honestly calculated with a mobile crane company, not with an overloaded telehandler.

What is the difference between a forklift and an industrial truck?

Industrial truck is the generic term under ISO 5053. Forklifts - more precisely: fork-lift trucks - are the best-known but not the only subgroup.

What training does the driver need?

Forklift operator training (adequate training ensured by the employer) and the required operator qualification in line with applicable Belgian safety rules; regular refresher instruction is recommended. Luibl provides an operator briefing on handover for all machine types in the rental fleet.

How often does a forklift have to be inspected?

Forklifts undergo periodic inspection by an external technical inspection body (EDTC/SECT), in line with applicable Belgian safety rules. For Luibl rental machines, the periodic inspection is included in the rental.

How much does it cost to rent a forklift?

Long-term rental of a standard forklift 30-80 €/day, short-term rental 10-25 €/h. The exact calculation depends on design, load capacity, rental period and location.

Is a work basket on a forklift permitted?

Only for brief, occasional work, with a firmly attached, approved attachment. For regular work at height, an aerial work platform is the right solution, in line with work at height under the Code on Well-being at Work.

Does Luibl deliver at weekends?

Yes, with our own low-loader fleet. Collection on Friday and return on Monday at the daily rate is possible depending on location - ask the planning team directly.

Which countries does Luibl deliver to?

Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and other European countries.