Electrification was a major theme during the American Rental Association (ARA) Show 2023 in Orlando, Florida. Many businesses displayed their battery-powered machines at the event, including ePicker. The company offers a wide selection of electric forklifts for construction and rental.
These machines offer long runtimes and quick charging, thanks for compatibility with industrial power including 480 volts. Such features make the company’s product line ideal replacements for traditional engine-powered forklifts.
It makes sense to electrify forklifts, as the machines are used in indoor areas with inadequate ventilation or stagnant airflow. Battery-powered forklifts do not emit fumes and operate quietly, resulting in an overall safer workplace.
Q&A with ePicker
At ARA Show 2023, we spoke to Jose Sarruff, director of business development at ePicker. He shared numerous insights about the company’s product line.
Michael: Provide an overview of the company and how it serves the construction industry.
Jose (ePicker): ePicker’s line of high-quality electric material handling forklifts and ancillary equipment offer features that are not typically found even on much higher cost equipment. Our heavy-duty outdoor sit-downs are IPX4 rated, offering superior protection from the elements for all types of outdoor applications, including lumberyard and construction site environments. These units are the perfect option to diesel and other IC trucks in the 5K to 6K range.
Michael: What makes your company unique?
Jose (ePicker): Our integration of chassis and power train is superior to brands that cost considerably more than ePicker’s extremely competitive price point. Our wide array of material handling equipment offers solutions for any indoor or outdoor business application like construction, warehousing, manufacturing and commercial enterprises.
ePIcker equipment’s lithium batteries are recognized by Intertek for the UL 2580 standard. Designed for harsh environments, our batteries will last four times longer than other batteries.
Michael: What problems or challenges is your company trying to solve for customers or the overall equipment rental industry?
Jose (ePicker): ePicker is a leader in the IC to electric movement, offering a complete replacement solution to IC trucks and to equal application lithium-Ion trucks. With 5k and 6k products in our current product lineup and 10k, 15k and 20k products being introduced in the near term, ePicker is eliminating the need for IC trucks in all but the most remote of applications.
ePicker offers a more complete material handling equipment line solution for rental operators. Our single source equipment range dynamic includes a solution for every material handling challenge, with maintenance costs that equate to a 60% savings over a like profile IC truck from a Tier 1 brand.
Michael: What are some new company developments and updates customers should look forward to in 2023?
Jose (ePicker): ePicker will be introducing 5 new forklift models for 2023: Included in this new product line-up are our two largest capacity trucks to date: the ePIcker EFLP50 is an IP54 rated, 5,000-lb. capacity solid pneumatic, suitable for outdoor use in most conditions. Our EFLP30 is our largest model to date, with a 6,000-lb. load capacity. Combined with three new reach stacker products, and our launch of the stand-alone Lithium-Ion DropIn Walker-Stacker batteries, 2023 is shaping up to be a significant product expansion year for ePicker.
Michael: What trends in equipment rental do you expect in 2023-2025?
Jose (ePicker): ePicker’s product line readily addresses all standard fleet requirements with turn-key, in-stock products. Fleet-friendly, with built-in telematics, GPS site tracking, remote hour meter readings, uploads against utilization are all key to the biggest trend we foresee in the rental equipment market: mass migration from IC trucks to innovative, lithium powered equivalents across a wide berth of industries and applications.
Check out pictures from ARA Show 2023 on IRONPROS.