For more than 100 years of operation, Linde Material Handling has gained a reputable name in the industry of industrial trucks. Tracing the facts of the company history, it becomes clear, that there has always been space for invention. For example, the patent for the transport vehicle with hydrostatic drive in 1955, the standard-setting lineup of diesel-powered forklift trucks (labeled as the 351 series) in 1985, the first material handling trucks in Europe powered by fuel cells at the very beginning of the 2010s.
Another practical solution was conceived as an answer to the dilemma of choosing between new and used vehicles while updating or increasing the stock of industrial trucks. The so-called Linde Approved Trucks represent sensible alternatives to both new and used machinery. This offering is particularly aimed at such vulnerable businesses as start-ups, companies with varying operating times and some others, which make certain demands in terms of economy and reliability.
To get the ‘Approved Trucks’ label, Linde forklifts undergo exclusively developed and standardized scheme of renovation. But beforehand, there is a special selection of those used industrial vehicles that are suitable for the program. It is provided by Linde’s own rental fleets, consisting of the units with accurate truck and service history. The scale of the following refurbishment activities depends on customer’s individual operating requirements. In total, Linde Material Handling offers three internationally recognized standards. Each standard presupposes the following renovation stages:
- Comprehensive truck history
This is the reason for picking up the units from the number of the brand’s short- and long-term rental fleets, which were serviced by the specially trained technicians on a regular basis.
- Extra cleaning
Each piece of equipment undergoes high-pressure cleaning before being examined.
- Detailed inspection
The check-up involves a visual and functional inspection of the whole unit as well as any individual component if it is reasonable.
- Power unit tests
The diagnostics are made to challenge operational effectiveness and compliance with the necessary emissions standards.
- Battery tests
The efficiency of electric units directly depends on the conditions of batteries and chargers. In case of malfunctioning, the specialist may opt for the full battery cells replacement.
- Expert approval
A representative from the Head of the Used Equipment department should give the green light to each used Linde forklift in question to further refurbish it with the brand’s original parts.
- Painting
A complete or partial re-paint contributes to a first-class outer appearance.
- Final examination
If all the stages are successfully passed through, the equipment receives the ‘Approved by Linde’ quality sign and the corresponding certificate.