Material Handling Equipment Maintenance: Preventing Costly Downtime

Few things are more disruptive in a warehouse than equipment failure. An out-of-service forklift doesn’t only mean one less truck on the floor. This can result in delays in fulfillment, missed service level agreements (SLAs), and reduced productivity across the operation.

Additionally, running equipment past its limits introduces serious safety risks, ranging from dropped loads to preventable accidents. That’s why material handling equipment maintenance is essential. MHE plays too central a role in warehouse performance to let upkeep slide. Proactive care and regular MHE maintenance ensures these machines keep operations flowing and teams working safely.

Common MHE maintenance challenges

Despite best intentions, many warehouses encounter maintenance hurdles, including inconsistent schedules, reactive fixes rather than proactive maintenance, and a lack of trained technicians. Even when companies understand the importance of equipment maintenance, keeping up with it isn’t always easy.

In many warehouses, MHE maintenance schedules often slip when operations become busy, resulting in inconsistent service intervals. Skipping a routine check here and there may not seem like a big deal, but over time, it adds up to more frequent breakdowns and higher repair costs.

Relying on reactive maintenance, which involves waiting for equipment to fail before addressing issues, may seem cost-effective in the short term. However, it typically results in unplanned downtime, expensive emergency repairs, and a greater risk of accidents. Preventive MHE maintenance, by contrast, identifies and addresses small problems before they escalate, reducing costs and downtime.

Finally, finding and retaining trained technicians can be a challenge. Material handling equipment is highly specialized, and without skilled professionals to perform inspections, diagnose issues, and complete repairs, even the best-maintained fleets are vulnerable to downtime.

Regular inspections and service intervals

The foundation of effective material handling equipment maintenance is consistency. Regular inspections and service intervals ensure that issues are identified early, whether it’s a worn forklift tire, low fluid levels, or a frayed lift chain. These small fixes keep minor problems from snowballing into major downtime events.

OEM recommendations vs. operational realities

Manufacturers provide detailed service recommendations, but operational realities often require a more tailored approach. For example, a forklift operating around the clock in a high-volume facility may need servicing more frequently than the OEM manual suggests. Aligning maintenance schedules with actual usage patterns delivers a more reliable fleet.

Tracking and logging maintenance activity

Tracking and logging every maintenance activity is another critical best practice. A centralized record documents what was done and when, helping to spot recurring issues that could signal a deeper problem. This data-driven view of maintenance supports better budgeting and long-term planning.

Using telematics and monitoring tools

Telematics and monitoring tools add another layer of control. These systems track equipment usage, detect potential issues, and even flag when service is due. By turning real-time data into actionable insights, telematics enables more precise and effective preventive maintenance.

WSI’s MHE maintenance approach

At WSI, maintenance is built into daily operations. The company’s approach combines fleet-wide scheduling, on-site support, and rigorous safety checks to maximize equipment life and ensure operations run smoothly.

“WSI’s fleet maintenance schedule goes beyond manufacturer recommendations, performing additional maintenance based on previous equipment failure history. Everything that is done to a piece of equipment is tracked in a computer maintenance management system (CMMS) and budgeted, so we know how it happened, why, and what it cost,” explained Steve Anderson, WSI’s Fleet Maintenance Manager.

This proactive model reduces the time spent on emergency repairs. “Over the years we have significantly reduced the time required for reactive maintenance because we’ve focused so closely on preventive maintenance schedules,” added Dominic Pinney, WSI’s Building Maintenance Manager.

The results speak for themselves. “Our robust preventative maintenance program enables us to double the lifetime of each asset, basically,” Steve said. “For example, the average usable life on a propane truck is 10 to 12,000 hours. We don’t start considering replacement until they reach 15,000 hours or more. We have many trucks with over 20,000 hours still running every day with no issues.”

These savings extend directly to customers. As Steve explained, “We take all the maintenance costs and the hours that we put on the trucks over a calendar year to calculate a cost per hour. So, the customer can forecast what their bill will be every month based on how many orders they’re giving us.”

Financial and operational impact

When material handling equipment maintenance is prioritized, the payoffs are both financial and operational: 

• Reduced repair expenses: Preventive care minimizes the need for costly emergency fixes and part replacements by catching issues early. This keeps budgets predictable and avoids the steep costs of unplanned breakdowns.
• Extended equipment lifespan: Well-maintained forklifts, pallet jacks, and lifts deliver maximum value over their full lifecycle. Businesses can extend the useful life of their assets by years, rather than prematurely retiring equipment.
• Increased uptime and throughput capacity: By keeping equipment in service and operating reliably, warehouses can maintain full productivity, meet customer expectations, and avoid costly bottlenecks.

Together, these impacts lower overall costs, strengthen efficiency, and protect profitability.

Predictive analytics using IoT and telematics

Sensors, telematics, and connected devices are giving operators real-time visibility into equipment performance. These tools can monitor usage patterns, detect wear, and even predict when a part is likely to fail. By addressing potential issues before they occur, predictive analytics takes maintenance a step further, boosting reliability while reducing both costs and risk.

Integration with WMS for maintenance scheduling alerts

Warehouse management systems (WMS) are also playing a greater role in keeping fleets running. When maintenance data is integrated with a WMS, the system can trigger alerts based on actual usage, flagging when service is due or when equipment shows signs of strain. This integration makes maintenance more precise while aligning it with broader operational planning.

Prevent downtime with proactive MHE maintenance

Material handling equipment keeps warehouses running smoothly when it is properly maintained. Neglected fleets lead to breakdowns, safety risks, and unexpected costs that ripple through the supply chain. By contrast, proper maintenance of material handling equipment extends equipment life, reduces repair expenses, and keeps operations running efficiently.

As warehouses embrace data-driven tools like telematics and WMS integration, maintenance is becoming more strategic. However, the principle remains the same: proactive care is the key to safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations. Companies that prioritize it avoid costly downtime and gain a competitive advantage of reliability and performance.With disciplined maintenance programs and the right expertise, you can extend equipment life and protect warehouse performance. Don’t leave MHE upkeep to chance. Talk to WSI today about MHE maintenance that prevents costly downtime and keeps your operations running smoothly.