THE growth in demand for electric forklifts, as well as the uptick in the economy, are key drivers of the forklift market, according to Victor Nemukul, MD of Shumani Industrial Equipment, the largest black-owned and managed industrial equipment supplier in South Africa.

He said the spike in demand is not necessarily due to buoyant commodity prices, but the result of unspent capital during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown period now being released onto the market.

“The future of the forklift industry is electric. We are already seeing a gradual move away from internal combustion engines. Over time, only electric forklifts will operate across the breadth of the economy.”

Nemukula said this is because electric forklifts represent a greener, cleaner, and safer energy source. Over their lifespan these forklifts are also far more cost-effective to operate.

“Shumani’s focus is more on improving customer satisfaction using available technology. Communication between technicians on-site and back-office staff is integral to ensure a seamless response to customer queries and any breakdown issues.”

Shumani is an appointed dealer for all Goscor Group companies that import industrial equipment for the South African market. It supplies equipment across the breadth of the industrial and construction sectors.

Brands on offer include brands like Bendi, Crown, Kalmar, and Doosan in the forklift market. Construction equipment brands include Bobcat, Sany, HPower, Weima, Luthian, Ozen and Sullair. In the cleaning equipment market segment, Shumani offers Tennant, Genie, Sentinel and HighPoint.