Electric truck for sign maker

Phil Hawksley, Malcolm West sales executive, explains: “There are real advantages for businesses making the switch to electric – especially on a site where a clean environment isn’t just desirable – it’s essential. For starters, you eliminate fume issues, but also, the lack of airborne emissions ensures stock and equipment are clean, too. 

“The challenge for some companies is that going electric can come with a compromise in terms of power. We needed to ensure that Greens’next truck would have the same level of power and performance as its diesel because a large part of this truck’s work involves shifting heavy pallets of acrylic and aluminium. In addition, we needed to make certain this truck could work both indoors and out.”

The Mitsubishi EDiA EX is a 2.5t electric forklift that met all of Greens major requirements: It is a tough, clean-running warehouse truck and is said to have class-leading weatherproofing that ensures it will work outdoors in any conditions.

Since arriving in August, the new electric forklift has helped to increase productivity for the signage company. While the electric truck’s performance easily matches the outgoing diesel, it is said to offer superior manoeuvrability. 

This is achieved due to the EDiA EX’s turning circle – that is so tight that it can turn within its own dimensions – and the Mitsubishi SDS (Sensitive Drive System) which gives operators driver-assist: affording them precise, predictable performance.

Green’s EDiA EX is green – both in colour and ecological friendliness of design. It reduces the company’s carbon footprint each time it is used, when compared to the previous model.  

The new EDiA EX has greatly reduced fuel costs, too, as Richard Jackson, purchasing manager for Greens explains: “We used to spend around £30 per week on diesel. Now that has gone, we only have to charge the new electric once every two weeks: so our running costs have fallen dramatically.

“Our operators love it, especially its manoeuvrability and the sideshift, which our old truck never had.” 

With the productivity boost an unexpected bonus for Greens, the impact it has made in such a short space of time has really highlighted the benefits of matching the perfect truck to a setup.