Leverkusen | April 07, 2011: Chemion: trend in short term forklift rentals continues / rental service improving
Despite the positive economic trend, Germany’s companies are slow to invest in forklift equipment. This means, of course, that the short term rental business is booming.
“Companies are still reticent when it comes to investing”, remarks Gerd Clemens, director of production resources management at Chemion, Germany’s leading lessor of explosion-proof industrial trucks (EX forklifts). “We have observed that either older equipment is being used for longer, or additional equipment is rented on a short term basis.
Every tenth unit ordered from Chemion by its customers comes under the “short-term rental” category, a defined period of time, which may be anything from 24 hours up to one year. “The average rental period is 120 days”, reports Clemens.
The fleet management professional from Leverkusen doesn’t merely see the advantage of short-term rentals in terms of financial flexibility (which is the obvious factor in favor of renting). What’s more important for customers is the flexibility of being able to choose from a range of units, and therefore always having access to exactly the right equipment needed. At Chemion, the most popular industrial trucks for renting purposes are EX forklifts, stackers and gas forklifts.
“These days, our customers are after all-inclusive packages, with which they can react quickly and easily to the requirements of their own customers”, adds Clemens. This includes a comprehensive service package which is also included in the price of the short term rental. With the exception of fuel, everything is included in Chemion’s rental deals. Within 48 hours, Chemion will deliver the units ordered to anywhere in Germany.
However, the industrial truck provider Chemion has observed that, with the growing demand for rental units, there has been an increase in the intensity of advice and service required. Clemens notes, “Particularly when it comes to ex-proof offers, customers expect extensive trade know-how and absolute professionalism. In sensitive areas where explosions are a major hazard, customers are leaving nothing to chance.”
With a pool of 400 EX forklifts, Chemion Logistik is one of Germany’s leading providers of rental equipment for ex-proof applications. The entire fleet is made up of more than 2,000 industrial trucks. As one of the exhibitors at CeMAT
(May 02 - 06, 2011 in Hanover), Chemion will be presenting its latest range of ex-proof units, not to mention its complete rental program (Stand K29, Hall 26).
About Chemion
The industrial truck division is an important aspect of equipment and service management, one of the main services offered by Leverkusen-based Chemion Logistik GmbH. Chemion is Germany’s leading lessor and operator of industrial trucks for areas subject to explosion hazards and has worked as industrial truck pool operator for Bayer AG for over 20 years. As central fleet manager, the company also launched a comprehensive range of services in 1999 aimed at other industrial utility and specialist vehicles.
With its focus on resource management, the Chemion fleet management division is responsible for the fleets of leading companies across Germany. Since its launch as a spin-off from the Bayer Group in 2001, Chemion Logistik GmbH has offered customers in its capacity as a 3PL (third party logistics provider) customised logistics solutions, fleet management among them. With its 1,000-strong workforce, Chemion Logistik GmbH generated 122 million euros in turnover in 2010. With offices in Leverkusen, Dormagen, Krefeld and Duisburg, the company ensures its customers remain mobile and their logistics run smoothly – whatever the location.
