Updated January 2024.

Maximising forklift uptime is essential. With demand on many companies increasing, the need for forklifts to be robust and vigorous is too. That is particularly true for companies in the pharmaceutical and food industries who are currently facing unprecedented demand.

Although many factors contribute to a forklift’s longevity, the parts you select for your forklift will have a significant impact on the truck’s uptime.
When choosing new forklift parts, you’ll have two main choices: OEM/genuine parts or aftermarket parts. Although many will be drawn in by their often-cheaper price tags, opting for aftermarket parts could prove to be a costly decision. Here’s why OEM parts will always outperform their alternatives.

Damage prevention

The problem with aftermarket forklift parts is that you cannot guarantee their quality. As a result, they could end up causing damage to other components in your truck.
So, although the initial cost of an aftermarket forklift part may be cheaper, the overall costs you could incur from fixing the associated damage could end up making it much more expensive than an OEM or genuine alternative.

Minimising downtime

When a forklift is out of action, it can have a serious impact on productivity and efficiency. That’s why minimising downtime is essential to a smooth running and optimally performing operation.
When a forklift breaks down, it is important to opt for an OEM or genuine part. OEM and genuine forklift parts will always exceed their alternatives when it comes to performance, meaning less breakdowns and less downtime. As you cannot guarantee the quality of an aftermarket part, you cannot determine how long it will keep your truck in action for.

OEM parts are designed to fit the truck itself at all levels and are tested in performance and durability, reducing the chances of your truck breaking down and minimising downtime. OEM parts are considered in the early stages of product development and are carefully selected to match the engine and other key components.

Warranty

The great thing about OEM and genuine parts is that they are often covered by a warranty. This guarantees quality while also covering you for the costs of getting a new part, if the original part you purchased were to fail.
Non-genuine parts do not always come with a warranty, so you could end up paying for replacements if your original part were to prove faulty.

Parts availability

OEM part manufacturers are likely to have stronger distribution networks with great parts availability; at least that is true for us at Cat® Lift Trucks. We’re proud of our 97% forklift parts availability, measured full line, first pick; the highest warehouse equipment and forklift truck parts availability in the industry.

We have a warehouse based in Belgium and we also have online access to extensive stock within our other centralised warehouse equipment and forklift parts distribution centres, in areas including USA, Singapore and Japan. That means wherever you are located, we are able to get the part you need to you quickly, to minimise your forklift’s downtime.

Authenticity

When you buy an OEM or genuine part, you can rest assured that it will meet the original specification. That means your truck will continue to perform in the same way as it always has, and that the new part is guaranteed to fit. It also means the part will be reliable and exactly what you need to get your truck back up and running.

Our Cat® forklift parts service

When it comes to buying a lift truck, your decision should not only be limited to price and product features. The manufacturers capability in terms of providing a comprehensive after sales support package should be an integral and equally important part of the purchase decision. That includes their ability to supply forklift parts.

When you buy a Cat forklift part, you can rest assured it has been manufactured from top quality materials to meet the original design standard. Genuine Cat forklift parts guarantee full exchange compatibility and possess the same durability and reliability standards as the original parts.

You can find out more about our parts service, here.