Whether it’s the procurement department at the US ports in need of material handling equipment to avoid supply chain bottlenecks or a warehouse manager at an ironworks company with tons of steel to move, both become very concerned when they hear five short words: “Sorry, we are out of units.”
However, when there is a material handling dealer with direct access to a one million square foot multi-brand OEM manufacturing facility, these five words become moot very quickly.
Over the past five years, Equipment Depot has been on a strategic growth plan, acquiring several strategically located branches and expanding into several new regions to support the heavy truck and port industry. As a one-stop-shop company, it declares a goal of $1 billion in revenues by 2025.
Prior to the expansion efforts, the company caught the attention of Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Logisnext Co. Ltd., the fourth largest material handling company in the world, and subsequently purchased in 2019 by Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas Inc.
Building Partnerships and Locations
Equipment Depot offers the most innovative and respected brands including CAT lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks and Jungheinrich, while providing new and used forklifts, aerial lifts, service, parts, equipment rentals, financing and automation solutions.
Interestingly, Equipment Depot, which has grown to 50 locations in 25 states across 3,000 miles since its launch, does not envision itself as simply a retailer or a one-off rental source for, say, a forklift. “We place a significant emphasis on building long term partnerships and continually strive to being a valued resource for all those we do business with,” Chad Larson, vice president of Heavy Trucks and Port Equipment, told the American Journal of Transportation.
“We take great pride in providing solid on-going solutions that support our partners’ goals and needs,” adds Larson, who held sales and leadership posts with the Houston-headquartered company for 25-years, advancing to head heavy duty lift trucks and port equipment operations nationwide. “Whether it’s providing new equipment, rental, parts or service, supporting our customer partnerships in both the short and long term continuously drives our daily activities.”
Larson points out that Equipment Depot’s partnership philosophy and “never out of stock” commitment helped it “mitigate the logjams” many US ports experienced during the global COVID pandemic several years ago. “We had heart-of-the line equipment readily available to support the influx of demand within the ports.”
Sustainable Future
Equipment Depot monitors and markets the most current trends and advancements in material handling. For example, he says, “electric powered equipment isn’t new, however, over the last several years, it has continued to grow in popularity with multiple stakeholders ranging from end users to equipment distributors and ultimately to OEM manufacturers.” Larson contends the growing focus on environmental sustainability and carbon footprint mitigation is prompting Equipment Depot to boost its support and promote electric powered vehicles including “solutions” ranging from small walk-behind pallet jacks to high-capacity forklifts and container handling equipment.
Indeed, with the increasing demand for these products, he says the company has formed EQPower, its customer-direct battery division responsible for selling batteries, chargers, and power management services, This division will also offer consulting and design services providing a full system power solution combing battery technology, battery attachments and integration with the company’s Warehouse Solutions program.
At the same time, Equipment Depot is concentrating on productivity and safety to drive advancements in equipment design and end-user operations. Explains Larson: “We have actively partnered with key manufacturers who include critical safety features which are desired in the marketplace. We are supplying equipment built with credible, proven components that provide significant off-shelf availability that helps minimize downtime and provides increased productivity.”
EQSolutions Pushes the Envelope
What trends does the Equipment Depot executive envision in the next generation of heavy lift trucks? Larson sees interest in alternative fuel sources growing over the next several years, pushing OEMs to incorporate new technologies and features into their product lineups.
Asked if Equipment Depot will develop and sell or rent its own current or future generation of heavy lift trucks? Or is that too costly or an unwise deviation from its core business? Larson says the company has “invested in Tier 4 diesel powered high-capacity forklifts to support our valued customers” and will continue to do so. However, it may consider investing in electric units in the future.
Meanwhile, the company is already working on the next generational advancements in warehouse optimization, Larson tells American Journal of Transportation. “Our EQSolutions is all about pushing that envelope. Think more automation, smarter robotics and deeper data insights. We’re in the trenches with our customers helping them level up with the latest tech like Automated Mobile Robots (AMR), Goods to Person (GTP) systems, industry leading intelligent conveyor systems and warehouse software, all aimed at cranking up operational efficiency, slashing costs and boosting scalability. We’re not just throwing tech at the wall and seeing what sticks. We’re crafting custom solutions that fit right into the client’s unique needs, prepping their operations to tackle future challenges head on.”
Specifically, EQSolutions sounds more like an R&D logistics lab you might find in Silicon Valley, not in a multi-outlet brick and mortar nationwide equipment distribution organization. Its Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems digitize pallet movement to enhance storage efficiency and retrieval speed. GTP Systems streamline order picking by bringing items directly to warehouse workers, boosting speed and accuracy.
EQSolutions’ portfolio of customer-centric programs, adds Larson, also includes Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) that dynamically navigate warehouses, optimizing picking and sorting processes, while its Intelligent Conveyor Systems automate the movement of goods through different warehouse zones, streamlining operations.
The company has broadened its assortment of sophisticated material handling products that it rents, rather than simply sells, according to Larson. “Our recent investments in high-capacity forklifts capable of lifting 20,000 pounds along with electric powered warehouse equipment such as powered pallet jacks, sit down/stand-up forklifts to very narrow aisle turret trucks, has significantly expanded our capabilities to support the diversity within our partnership base with rentals that do not require capital expenditures or purchases,” he explains.
As for material handling equipment the company distributes and the programs EQSolutions create become more technologically advanced, safety in the warehouse and externally has become a greater priority, Larson emphasizes. “Our team members are highly focused on creating in a safe work environment. Our service technicians are required to perform job-site assessments prior to making any needed repairs. If a situation is deemed unsafe, they are empowered to initiate an SWA or stop work authority.”
Product-Centric Safety
The same intense focus on safety is carried over to providing products that help create a safer working environment for end users, Larson told the American Journal of Transportation, “The majority of the high-capacity forklifts and container handling equipment we have introduced into the marketplace are equipped with standard safety features that other manufacturers consider optional—back up cameras, pedestrian detection, and roll over protection systems and weight and height indicators to name a few.”
Larson’s colleague, Jeremy Rock, regional vice president, of Equipment Depot’s South Region, and a specialist in warehouse design and productivity, says the company has zeroed in on embracing and adopting automation technologies that enhance efficiency, speed and safety. Facing difficulties in finding, hiring and retaining labor today, combined with a growing shortage of warehouse space owing to the “surge in e-commerce today.” Rock says that collaborative robotics or “co-bots” are joining the workforce.
As he describes their automated contributions, they work alongside human workers and assist with receiving, storing, picking, packing and shipping. “Co-bots automate repetitive processes, allowing human workers to focus on more strategic activities,” Rock explains. Modern robotics are also “shrinking in size today” and can work in smaller warehouses and distribution centers, freeing up floor space, he says.
Today, Equipment Depot continues to trailblaze with new technological breakthroughs that deliver greater efficiencies and cost-effectiveness in material handling, sums up Rock. “AI, machine learning and eco-friendly design are just some of the advancements moving into our field which is being largely remade by the sharp and continuing growth of the e-commerce supply chain. Warehouses will keep adapting to meet consumer and (our) customer demand and optimize operations. No doubt about it.
