Forklift rental in Ingolstadt: five decisions on the right type

For Ingolstadt, you can rent forklifts from 53 models with 1,200 to 33,000 kg lifting capacity and lift heights of up to 6.07 m. Automotive and mechanical engineering shape the city's industry, suppliers work in large halls, and there are also construction sites and storage areas across the whole city. Which type fits depends less on the machine name than on a few basic questions: indoors or outdoors, firm or loose ground, pallet or heavy part. Five comparisons guide you step by step to the right choice. Delivery is by low-loader from Passau. Further machines for the city are shown on the page Construction machinery rental in Ingolstadt, the entire fleet in the forklifts category.

Behind the 53 models are six types with clearly distinct strengths. The table shows number, lifting capacity and lift height. The following sections each compare two options between which you most often decide in Ingolstadt.

Type and driving surface belong together

Electric forklifts and pallet stackers are designed primarily for smooth hall floors. Diesel and heavy-duty forklifts also run on paved outdoor areas, rough terrain forklifts additionally on loose ground. With the type, you therefore determine on which ground the machine works safely. Just as important is the residual capacity: it decreases with increasing lift height and longer loads and is shown in the load chart of the respective model.

For pure indoor work, the electric forklift is the norm. It works without exhaust fumes on site, and with 22 models from 1,500 to 10,000 kg it covers almost every pallet load. With 3.45 to 6.00 m lift height, the electric models also reach the upper bays of standard pallet racking. In the freight village in the north-west of the city, where many suppliers to the automotive industry have settled, this is the most common case.

The LPG forklift plays to its strengths when the machine constantly shuttles between hall and outdoor area and needs to run for long periods without a charging break. Three models with 1,800 to 7,000 kg are available. Use it in enclosed spaces only if your risk assessment permits this.

Charging and plant rules

For electric forklifts you need a charging point with a suitable power connection. If several shifts are running, decide in advance when the machine will be charged. On large factory sites such as the Audi plant in Ingolstadt, register forklifts and delivery in accordance with the plant rules there.

The diesel forklift belongs on paved surfaces such as asphalt, concrete or paving. Eleven models lift 3,000 to 10,000 kg to 4.50 to 6.00 m and are suitable for storage yards, loading zones and building materials yards. In loading zones with heavy truck traffic, the diesel gets through the whole shift without a charging break. On gravel, sand or softened ground, their tyres reach their limits.

That is where rough terrain forklifts with large wheels and more ground clearance take over: Manitou M30-4, Manitou M50-4, Ausa C300H and Ausa C500H x4. They carry 3,000 to 5,000 kg and lift to 4.75 to 5.45 m. Typical uses are shell construction, utility line construction and storage areas without a firm surface.

Ground in and around Ingolstadt

The city area lies in the Ingolstadt Basin; the Donaumoos adjoins to the south-west, and the Danube floodplain forests extend to the east. In districts such as Haunwoehr and Gerolfing the groundwater is high. On construction sites with such conditions, the rough terrain forklift is often the safer choice, even if the load would allow a diesel.

For putting away and retrieving light pallets in racking aisles, a pallet stacker is often sufficient. Six models carry 1,200 to 2,000 kg and lift to 2.70 to 5.50 m. They are more compact than a forklift and fit into aisles where a counterbalance forklift cannot turn.

The forklift is needed as soon as loads weigh more than 2,000 kg, trucks are unloaded at the ramp or in the yard, or the route crosses uneven surfaces. Many warehouses need both: the pallet stacker in the racking and the forklift at the ramp. Measure aisle widths and rack heights before you decide.

Mast and door

Even a retracted mast has an overall height. Check whether doors, passages and beams in the hall are high enough for the chosen machine, especially with models with a large lift height.

Up to 10,000 kg, electric and diesel forklifts cover most loads. Above that, the heavy-duty class begins with seven models from 8,000 to 33,000 kg and 4.50 to 6.07 m lift height. The most powerful machine is the Kalmar DCG 330-12T with 33,000 kg.

In mechanical and plant engineering, which shapes the city's industry alongside the automotive sector, you move machine tools, moulds or plant components. With such parts, the centre of gravity is rarely in the middle. The further it lies from the fork, the lower the permissible load. Have weight and centre of gravity determined in advance and have the route, hall floor and doors checked for the total weight.

Overlap between 8,000 and 10,000 kg

In this range there are both standard and heavy-duty models. The deciding factors are then load dimensions, fork length and the space available on site.

The greatest lift height in the forklift rental fleet is reached by the Hyundai 80D-9 with 6.07 m. Higher is only possible with a telehandler. The same applies when the load has to be placed over an edge, a parapet or a trench: the forklift lifts vertically, the telehandler pushes the load forward.

On Ingolstadt construction sites this concerns, for example, supplying scaffolding or roof areas. For pure lifting work in halls, the forklift remains more manoeuvrable and needs less space. If a load needs to go into an inner courtyard or over a building, a mini crane in Ingolstadt is another option.

Borderline cases on the construction site

• Pallets onto scaffolding at heights above 6.07 m: telehandler

• Building materials from the truck to the storage area: rough terrain or diesel forklift

• Material across an excavation: telehandler

• Pallets via a ramp into the hall: electric or LPG forklift

Ingolstadt is around 190 km from our Passau site; the low-loader takes the route via Regensburg. For unloading it needs a firm, level area and enough space for the forklift to drive off the loading platform. Read more about delivery and collection under Transport.

Heavy-duty forklifts are considerably larger and heavier than an indoor forklift. Announce such jobs early so that vehicle and route match the load.

Clarify before delivery

• Do the weight and dimensions of the forklift suit the access, doors and hall floor?

• For electric forklifts, is there a charging point with a suitable connection?

• Who receives the machine on site and gets the briefing?

In the surrounding area we also deliver to Gaimersheim, Manching, Lenting, Koesching and Wettstetten. For the region there are dedicated pages on Neuburg an der Donau, Kelheim, Freising, Regensburg and Munich.

DGUV Vorschrift 68 applies to forklifts. Its § 7 only permits drivers who are at least 18 years old, suitable and trained, and who hold a written driving order from the employer. The content and scope of the training are described in DGUV Grundsatz 308-001.

Before use, your company assesses the hazards in accordance with § 3 BetrSichV, such as pedestrians in the hall, ramps or gradients. In accordance with § 12 BetrSichV and § 12 ArbSchG, you instruct the drivers on the specific machine and workplace. At handover we explain how to operate the rented model; this explanation does not replace a Staplerschein.

If your team still needs the training, we will put you in touch with a certified training provider. We will inform you about training via certified partners without obligation and free of charge.

Send us the load weight, lift height, site location and ground conditions, ideally also the dimensions of the heaviest load. With this information we select the right machine from the six types and coordinate delivery from Passau with you. Enquire now