Holthuis Gabelstapler: Large European full-liner grows steadily with EP Equipment

Holthuis Gabelstapler Vertrieb GmbH writes a success story

Less than one and a half years after Holthuis Gabelstapler expanded its range with EP Equipment forklifts, the German dealer has already sold more than 600 forklifts of this brand to its customers. The new partnership has thus gained EP Equipment one of the largest European full-liners.

Affordable alternative – EP Equipment

About a year and a half ago, the Holthuis company expanded its range with EP Equipment forklifts. With this new partnership agreement, a new chapter in the success story began. “Until then, we often supplied used forklifts to customers with a relatively small business. In order to offer these customers the option of buying a completely new truck in the same price range, we looked for a high-quality alternative and found it with EP Equipment.

“They deliver solid and well-built equipment at a very attractive price,” explains the Managing Director. “In addition, the cooperation with EP Equipment worked well from the very first moment: short working distances and clear communication, that is exactly what we are looking for in a partner.”

Carefree operation

The expansion of the product range began with the compact EPT 12-EZ electric pallet truck. This was quickly followed by other equipment from EP Equipment, such as the ES series high-lift trucks and electric stackers with a load capacity of up to 5 tonnes. In the meantime, Holthuis Gabelstapler has already delivered more than 600 forklifts from EP Equipment.

“Our customers rely on good, smooth operation and do not expect downtime or surprises. EP Equipment supplies forklifts that meet these requirements – easy-to-operate equipment that can be used safely by everyone. What’s more, the driveability and ease of operation make it easy to switch from internal combustion to electric trucks. Both our purchase and rental customers benefit from these advantages,” says Mr Holthuis.

Numerous lithium-ion advantages

The EP Equipment trucks are all equipped with a maintenance-free lithium-ion battery. Refilling the battery cells with distilled water or other daily maintenance is therefore not necessary. Moreover, they can be easily recharged in the meantime, for example during breaks. “This benefits the rental customers as well as other customers because they no longer have to worry about the equipment and can rely on the smooth operation of their machines,” says Heiko Holthuis.

The maintenance-free lithium-ion batteries thus offer advantages. They are less sensitive to potential improper use and have a longer service life than conventional lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion technology also enables faster service while maintaining quality and reliability. Vehicles that have been rented, for example, can therefore be used again at short notice.

EP Telematics

During maintenance, the dealer additionally benefits from all the advantages made possible by EP Telematics. The fleet management system offers the possibility to monitor and manage both the vehicles and the batteries proactively and in real-time – everywhere and at any time. “With the information gained, we can inform and advise our customers even better and further improve the quality of our service,” says Holthuis.

Favorite: EP EFL 181

The most frequently supplied model from the wide range offered by EP Equipment is the EFL 181 electric forklift truck, which is also one of the favorites for Mr Holthuis: “The ideal truck for low-intensity operations. The lithium-ion battery is big enough to work for at least 3.5 hours in continuous operation without any problems. But we also have customers who use the truck in two-shift operations. All trucks can be recharged at any time in between and even during any break without negatively affecting the battery life. ”

Range extended

Since this summer, Holthuis is also the German importer of the latest EP Equipment cleaning technology. Sweepers, for light work and for large areas, as well as scrubber-driers round off the constantly growing range available from EP at Holthuis. “For us as a full-liner, it is a sensible addition to the product range. We can now support our customers even more specifically than before because everything is supplied from a single source”, Heiko Holthuis concludes.

Emsflower in Emsbüren

“Significant improvement in availability”

For Emsflower from Emsbüren, the switch to the services of Holthuis and EP Equipment brings noticeable advantages. “The availability and reliability of our low-lift trucks and stackers have improved significantly,” says logistics manager Viktor Klein. “We use our transport equipment very intensively. It is important for us to be able to recharge the batteries between uses. With our old equipment with lead-acid batteries, we could not do this without damaging the batteries. With the EP units, however, this is possible. The lithium-ion batteries are maintenance-free and thus provide enough capacity for our daily work.”

As Europe’s largest nursery, Emsflower produces more than 400 million plants per year. Among other things, they use EP low-lift trucks with long tines for in-house transport. The handy EP EFL 181 compact forklift truck will be added soon and the acquisition of an EP sweeper is currently under consideration. “Holthuis is close by and thus offers a quick service,” according to Viktor Klein. “That is also important for availability and operational capability. We can always rely on the Holthuis company.”