A WEST Yorkshire-based forklift and warehousing equipment dealership is becoming more sustainable by offering electric-powered forklift trucks.

Forktruck Solutions sells and repairs forklift trucks and warehouse equipment and has decided to pivot its business strategy from selling only has a diesel-powered vehicles to offering lithium-ion versions.

The Dewsbury firm has secured £600,000 from Lloyds Bank to expand its warehouse by 31 per cent to 13,000 sq ft, in order to store and process the new carbon zero stock.

A further £56,250 of funding was used to install solar panels, electric car charging stations for employees and LED lighting in its warehouse and offices.

The business has also taken on six new salespeople, three service support employees and four engineers.

Over the past three years the company increased its turnover from £1.1million to £7million.

Now, it is targeting 20 per cent growth per year and forecasts a £15 to 20million turnover in the next five years.

Simon Penny-Smith, managing director of Forktruck Solutions, said: “There was an increasing demand for more sustainable vehicles, so we decided to introduce the lithium-ion technology to our customer base and beyond.

“Since, the business has gone from strength to strength and our customers are reaping the benefits with huge savings on fuel and massive carbon reductions in their operations.”