“IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE . . .”
PLANNING TO BUY A GREY IMPORT FORKLIFT OR INDUSTRIAL TRUCK?
THERE IS ONLY ONE SHADE OF GREY
Australia’s automotive and construction industry has been dealing with Grey and Parallel imports for several years and now the practice is spreading into the forklift and industrial truck area.
‘Grey Import’ refers to a vehicle, often second hand, bought privately and cheaply offshore and brought into Australia for resale.
Unlike vehicles imported with the full approval and support of the manufacturer, grey imports receive no support from the official dealer network and because the vehicle might be different to those on general sale, parts supply could be a real problem.
‘Parallel Imports’ are usually new vehicles, bought in small batches and brought here without the knowledge or involvement of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or its Australian representative.
The practice often means buyers can get attractively-priced new or late model machinery – but that is where the good news ends.
OEM SUPPORT IS VITAL
The Australian Forklift and Industrial Truck Association (AFITA), representative body for Australia’s major suppliers of OEM fork trucks and associated industrial equipment, wants to ensure the highest possible standards of performance, safety and client satisfaction when it comes to equipment purchases.
The association plays an active role in the development of Australian and international standards for the industrial truck industry and constantly promotes the highest standards of safe equipment use.
Manufacturers represented by the AFITA work with Federal and State government departments to ensure all forklifts and industrial trucks sold by them in Australia meet full statutory compliance for use here.
In other words, importers and retailers alike guarantee that every industrial truck, forklift, reach truck, turret truck and stock picker sold in Australia meets legal, safety and operational requirements – very important when it is understood that the operating and safety requirements of some equipment is unique to Australia.
It also means that equipment operating instructions, manuals and log books are not only printed in English but equipment-specific, rather than brand-generic.
WARRANTIES
Most importantly, it means that warranties are not only fully supported by reputable companies but enforceable under Australian law, which may not be the case with grey or parallel imports.
Any equipment bought from a non-OEM retailer is most likely not covered by manufacturer warranties and support, may not have local parts availability, might be costly to repair when it breaks down – or may not be repairable at all – and is unlikely to be subject to vital recall notices and warranty support.
Remember, grey or parallel imports are unlikely to meet Australian Standards and because the equipment does not come with full OEM compliance, its resale value is likely to be anything but satisfying.
THINGS YOU NEED TO CHECK
- Australian Standards compliance
- Required Australian market safety equipment/features
- English language operators manual, log book and safety decals
- Valid Australian warranty (either manufacturer or dealer)
- Spare parts availability
AND REMEMBER . . . . .
If the deal sounds too good to be true then it probably is.
The full AFITA Grey Import Guidance Note is here