How an electric forklift is helping a small NSW solar energy specialist go charging ahead
Based in Rylstone in central New South Wales, BlackLab Solar specialises in high-quality solar installation and maintenance.
The company is run by owner and licenced electrician Paul Deegan, who also handles all the company’s installation, maintenance and ordering himself.
After operating for a few years using an older diesel forklift bought from a neighbouring farmer, Deegan made the choice to upgrade and purchase a new machine.
A former pilot, Deegan was using his hangar at Rylstone to store solar equipment following a period of heavy rain and needed a forklift that was ideal for indoor operation.
After looking at a couple of options, he quickly settled on a Toyota 8FBE20 electric forklift, with the material quality of Toyota products a big reason for purchase.
“This new one’s been an absolute delight, it’s fantastic,” Deegan says.
“I wasn’t price-driven, I just wanted the best.
“Compared to the old one it’s a precision machine. You move a lever and it moves exactly. It’s just great.
“Every time I get on it, I just think ‘how good is this’, because, in the old days, I was in Sydney and I had my kids hand-loading the solar panels, and now I’ll lift six pallets off a truck and it’s done in 15 minutes.”
Being an expert in battery and energy storage technology, Deegan says he was impressed by the batteries used in the Toyota forklift and the fact that he can run the machine inside his hangar without worrying about exhaust fumes.
Deegan has outfitted his hangar with a comprehensive solar arrangement that allows the structure to exist off-grid, with all power for the building sourced through solar power.
That means his Toyota forklift essentially exists with zero carbon footprint, due to all charging being done on-site with electricity sourced exclusively through solar power.
Deegan has now owned his Toyota forklift for about a year and has been impressed by its precise performance and faultless reliability. Toyota 8FBE battery electric forklifts have an ergonomically designed operator compartment and the latest control tech.
Key safety features include Toyota’s System of Active Stability, to reduce the risk of tip-overs, and Active Mast Function Controller, to limit mast angle and forklift speed according to load height and weight.
Despite being a big investment for a small business, Deegan’s forklift has been a great purchase for BlackLab Solar, helping him stay on top of logistics in the warehouse.
“It’s made a huge difference – I’m 43 years old and I’m almost single-handedly running a million-dollar business,” he says.
“And having that machine, knowing I can jump on it, get the panels in the back of a truck in 10 minutes and I know the thing is going to start – I know it appeals to someone like me.”