As we all know, renewable energy and zero-emission transport solutions are increasingly the way of the future and something to strive towards. It’s great to see one of our valued customers seems to have taken that future into his own hands.
BlackLab Solar, based in the small town of Rylstone in central New South Wales, has combined the emission-free performance and reliability of electric Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA) forklifts with its expertise in solar panel technology to ensure its operation runs as efficiently as possible.
BlackLab Solar owner and former pilot Paul Deegan used an aircraft hangar into a storage facility for his solar panels and converted the facility to run exclusively off solar power.
That means that any time Mr Deegan wants to charge his Toyota 8FBE20 electric forklift, he simply plugs it into his self-installed system that draws no power from the grid, essentially removing any carbon footprint for his trusty Toyota forklift.
With most of its work being done indoors, the electric forklift is also an ideal solution given it provides for zero operating emissions.
Mr Deegan had previously been using an old diesel-powered forklift, and said that the switch to the new Toyota 8FBE model was based on him wanting the best for his business.
“This new one’s been an absolute delight, it’s fantastic,” Mr Deegan said. “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 starting the business 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.”
That’s fantastic feedback for all of us at TMHA to hear.
BlackLab Solar has an emphasis on producing solar installations of the highest quality, referencing the Benjamin Franklin quote: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
With the business placing such an emphasis on high build quality, it is no surprise that Mr Deegan gravitated towards Toyota forklifts, with impeccable quality, durability, and reliability a key tenet of our brand’s philosophy.
We are always proud to help promote Aussie ingenuity and innovation and look forward to continuing our relationship with BlackLab Solar as it helps Aussies make the move to renewable energy.
BlackLab Solar owner Paul Deegan with his Toyota 8FBE electric forklift