Flatbeds Help the Real Estate Market Find Its Legs Again

When the Great Recession struck in 2007, there wasn’t an industry in America that took a harder punch than the real estate market. The “Housing Bubble” and its subsequent collapse became – overnight – a household word. It’s been a long several years now since those days of sudden economic collapse, and the nation is still struggling to rekindle its economy, the real estate sector included. But while growth remains slow, signs point towards a gradual improvement for even the housing and commercial real estate markets – and for the flatbed and dry van industry that means a corresponding uptick in business opportunities.

Flatbeds continue to be an integral part of the transportation of construction materials. Without the volume that flatbeds can carry, there would simply have been no cost-effective means of developing the sprawling suburbs and exurbs that surround most North American cities. But the housing market is just the “tip of the opportunity” for truckers and big rig companies. Despite June and July’s slow manufacturing growth (in comparison with the earlier months of this year), manufacturing orders are up considerably from just a year ago. While we’re certainly not out of the woods yet as a country, the numbers show that the growing need for trucking jobs in America attests to an overall spirit of optimism and recovery. Here’s to making it over the mountain. Knock on wood (or asphalt, as the case may be).

Depreciation Bonuses on Trucks, Trailers, and Forklifts: Grab ‘Em before 2013!

We’re a proud, family-run business in the heart of Ohio, and we’re here to give you this bit of advice, one small business to another: 2013 is looking to be another rough year; at least there’s the strong possibility. If the Executive and Legislative branches of government don’t settle their differences and come to some kind of agreement by the end of this year, there are going to be consequences for small business that nobody in his or her right mind – Republican, Democrat, You-Name-It – would want to see.

And you thought 2012 would be a pretty tough act to follow, huh? As it turns out, our nation may well decide to remain undecided on how to reduce its massive national debt by the end of this fiscal year. If that happens, come January 1, 2013, we’ll all wake up in our beds and find we’ve fallen off the so-called “fiscal cliff” everybody keeps talking about. That means mandatory tax increases across the board for American citizens and businesses alike. That means tax deduction policies that have helped businesses such as yours and ours throughout these last, few, trying years will be staunched and stifled.

Some of our nation’s best tax deduction small business incentives – specifically the Bonus and Section 179 depreciation deductions – are going to plummet this next year. And by plummet, we do unfortunately mean it. Currently, as things stand in 2012, the Section 179 deduction gives you up to $139,000 off equipment purchases intended for your business. That’s a pretty good deal by our reckoning, especially since this deduction is still applicable up to a ceiling of $560,000 in needed equipment purchases. That being said, if the worst comes to pass this New Year, that deduction incentive will suddenly find itself reduced to $25,000 – not exactly much in the way of stimulating your business and getting it up and growing, right? Well, what can we say? When you’re right, you’re right.

We have a fleet of trucks, forklifts, and flatbeds that are still available for purchase prior to 2013 – and that still come with 2012 depreciation deductible guidelines if purchased before the New Year. You name the make and model and we most likely have one (or several) on our lot. It’s up to you – the competitive entrepreneur – to seize the moment before it becomes too… bureaucratic. Call us right now, today.

Checking for Wear and Tear When Purchasing Your Truck

At DW Lift Sales, we’re confident that the trucks we supply, both the new ones and the used ones, have been spot-checked meticulously for any blemishes and/or mechanical errors. To put it another way, you know that when you buy trucks, trailers, or forklifts from us, you’re going to be getting your full dollar’s worth in terms of reliability. That being said, it’s always a wise bet when purchasing a truck – particularly a truck that’s already seen some roughage on the highway – to inspect it thoroughly to know what you’re “getting yourself into”. A lot of trucks out there might look nice and shiny on the sales lot, but as is the case with a lot of different things, it’s the inside that counts (i.e. the structural integrity, the driveline, the suspension system, stuff like that) when you’re going about your daily business.

On that note, we want to give you a couple of things to look out for when purchasing a truck (and the same things should also be checked periodically in terms of maintaining your truck):

1. Make sure the cab mount is well compromised with the proper bushings. Insure likewise that the cab is well isolated from the truck engine itself. Ignoring these things can mean you compromise the overall structural integrity of your cab mounts to a dangerous degree: you don’t want the front part of your truck to start grinding against the front tires – let alone get close to the engine.
2. A slight imbalance in the components of the driveline might not seem like a big problem upon first inspection, but don’t kid yourself. Given an especially bad angle, driveline imbalances can lead to impacting the performance of your truck’s transmission, not to mention the possibility of worn-and-torn wheel-ends. Be sure to inspect the assorted components of your driveline and note if they are aligned properly.
3. Here’s a huge one to look for: your truck’s suspension system. Your suspension system should isolate your cab from the main body of your truck, but don’t discount the long-term effects of road vibration or rough, gravelly terrain. If your truck’s been around the highway a few times, you’d best be checking that all components are structurally sound, as well as mounted rigidly. There’s no telling what happens otherwise!
4. Last, but hardly least, comes frame rigidity. You better be certain that the frame assembly (along with all its sundry cross-members) is structurally stiff. Otherwise, your trucking career may come crashing to a halt in a way that anyone would find unpleasant.

Just some helpful tips and guidelines from your friends out here at D.W. Lift Sales. Drop by our website or call us today for more info on the vehicles, platforms, and accessories we carry.

DW’s Heading to the Guardian Building Products Show in Vegas in 2013

It’s one of the biggest distribution materials conferences in America in any given year, and 2013’s Guardian Building Products Show in Las Vegas promises to be no exception. Companies from across North America and the world at large will descend upon the beautiful Paris Las Vegas Hotel to demonstrate their products, promote their services, and showcase the latest in insulation, gypsum, roofing, millwork, windows, doors, sheathing, hardware, plumbing, adhesives, and more: basically anything you’d ever want on your hands if you’re in the construction business. Seeing as the construction business is showing signs of recovery for the real time since 2007, we at DW Lift Sales expect there to be a more celebratory “feel” to the whole meet-up this year.

Basically, we can’t wait. Not only are we heading to beautiful sun-drenched Las Vegas, but being that we’re also significant players in the distribution and transportation of building materials both regionally and nationwide, we expect to meet some friendly faces. We’re looking forward to seeing people we already know and do good business with, as well as meeting up with new potential clients, customers, and forging alliances with strategic business partners.  Here’s to a great business year for 2013. See you there in Vegas! We promise you that we don’t cheat at cards AND that we’re friendly people to boot!

Trucking Expected to Help the Northeast Rebuild after Sandy

Just a few weeks ago, one of the deadliest and most costly storms in American history barnstormed into the Tri-State region of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Whether you want to call it a “hurricane” or a “superstorm” doesn’t really matter: the facts speak for themselves. Well over one hundred American citizens are dead. Whole neighborhoods are gutted with fire, leaving 40,000 homeless. The iconic boardwalk along the Jersey Shore has been ripped to unrecognizable shreds and planks. And for many days, basic services like electric power and mass transit were (in some cases still are) inaccessible to the millions in the New York Metro Region who depend on them daily. Conservative estimates of the total damage amount to upwards of $50 billion.

Obviously, the trucking industry suffered along with the rest of the region. Trucking is vital to supplying the needs of the Five Boroughs, not to mention the endless, sprawling suburbs. In part due to the inability of trucks to reach their proper destinations after Sandy, as well as the massive, region-wide fuel shortage, the 4^th quarter GDP for the trucking industry is expected to decline by as much as 0.6%.

But there’s light at the end of the long tunnel, both for New York and for trucking. As New Jersey Governor Chris Christie put it succinctly the other day, “We will rebuild.”  Construction crews are expected to retrofit, renovate, repair, and yes, rebuild the neighborhoods and towns that have been devastated by the fires and flooding. Needless to say, flatbeds will be in high demand in transporting construction materials to help Greater New York recover from disaster’s aftermath.

We at DW Lift Sales are here to help our fellow Americans at a moment’s notice. We currently have a significant number of 2013 Freightliner trucks in our inventory, as well as many tried-and-true 2006 Moffetts in stock. We have knuckle-booms that can re-set shingles onto roofs, cranes that can reach to high places, and all kinds of equipment that can help restore the lives and spirits of our nation’s largest urban area. When we see a neighbor’s house burning, we aren’t ones to shy away from helping put out the flames. We’re here to help our friends in New York – whatever it takes. Just give us a call or send a quote today.

Companies Seek to Attract New Truckers by Offering New Perks

The fact of the matter is that 2/3rds of all freight traffic in the U.S.A. gets handled by way of big-rig trucks. Around 3 million interstate truckers make their livelihood by delivering the foodstuffs, manufactured goods, and miscellaneous essentials that keep this country up and running year after year. It’s hard to see any other form of transportation – whether rail or aerial – that’s ever going to supersede the need for freight haulers.

But let’s face it: the life of a trucker can be rough. Extended days and weeks on the road without seeing family and friends can take its toll on anybody. Currently, there’s an estimated shortage of 100,000 truckers in North America, and if the economy gradually (and inevitably) picks up steam again, and more interstate traffic begins to flow, that number for new truckers could explode to upwards of 250,000. That’s a heck of a lot of jobs for the taking. The problem is, many folks don’t visualize themselves in a big-rig cabin running coast-to-coast down Interstate 80 or Interstate 10. Still, it’s a good, solid way to make one’s living, and to add onto that, trucking companies and truck-stop chains across America are piling on incentives to make the trucker lifestyle more appealing.

With all the added shower facilities and movie theaters available at today’s truck-stops, it’s hard these days to tell some interstate rest stops apart from motels or multiplexes. Gyms, basketball courts, gourmet food options, and health clinics are also all becoming par for the course. At night, truckers sleep in cabins that feature plush cushioning and ample room for stretching out. New truck models are beginning to sport amenities such as GPS, Sirius-XM satellite radio, DVD players, and even satellite television dishes: in short, many (if not all) the comforts of home.

With unemployment running at just over 8%, it’s a good thing to know there are a lot of solid, steady jobs available for those who are willing to take on the challenge. It’s just a question now of letting job-seekers know that the jobs are out there – and that they come with their benefits as much as they come with their rigors.

Unregulated Forklifts: Buy Them While You Can

Over the course of the last decade, there has been a growing stream of laws enacted on the forklift industry that limits the level of gas emissions coming from their motors. These various regulations stem from every level of government, from the local to the federal. The wisdom of these regulations is nothing we wish to touch upon in this blog. The practical issue at hand is one that is a lot more important to the everyday forklift operator: cost benefit. Simply put, as emissions standards increase, vehicle and forklift manufacturers are forced to invest in R & D in order to comply with those standards. As a result, the price of the product spirals upwards for the everyday consumer.

Come January 1, 2013, another emissions cap is set to be put into law.  Namely, Tier 4 non-road diesel emissions standards for engines generating up to 560kW will be increased. These kinds of engines (commonly found on forklifts) will now be required to emit a mere 5.0 in terms of carbon monoxide (CO) – with an ideal target of 3.7 for emissions. The price to get your engine certified will be costly enough, but spending money on newer, costlier engines that already comply with these emissions standards is enough to make some people want to go out a buy one for themselves before the law comes into full effect.

On that note, DW Lift Sales offers a wide variety of heavy-duty, tough-performing forklift models that are a bargain deal – especially when considering what’s coming your way 2013. Don’t let new price increases spoil your New Year’s. Get in on purchasing our gear before more regulations hit the (engine) fan.