Last updated: November 2026
Food and drinks manufacturing is one of Ireland’s most important industries, from large food processors to regional drinks producers. These sites run demanding operations with strict hygiene rules, high throughput and little room for downtime. That’s why so many of them have moved their forklifts and pallet trucks from diesel and lead-acid to lithium-ion electric.
Why diesel doesn’t suit food production
Food sites work to HACCP food safety plans that control contamination risks, and diesel fumes, oil drips and exhaust residue have no place near product or packaging. Many sites end up running two fleets: diesel for the yard and electric for inside. That doubles the servicing, the training and the cost.
Why lithium-ion suits food production
- No exhaust: lithium-ion electric trucks produce no fumes, so they can work in production areas, stores and the yard alike.
- No acid: the batteries are sealed, with no watering, no acid to spill and no gassing during charging.
- No battery room: EP lithium batteries need no water filling, ventilation or acid handling, so you usually don’t need a ventilated charging room.
- Charge on breaks: EP lithium batteries are made for topping up on breaks, so drivers top up instead of swapping batteries.
- Long battery life: EP guarantees its replacement batteries for 2,000 full cycles with over 80% of their capacity left.
- Stable cells: every EP lithium battery has its own battery management system, which watches cell temperature and protects against voltage and temperature extremes.
One electric fleet for the yard and the floor
Most electric forklifts are built for smooth warehouse floors. EP’s 4-wheel forklifts are built to work outside too, on yards, ramps and mixed surfaces, so a food site can run one electric fleet instead of two.
Running costs
For a 3-tonne truck at SEAI prices, an EP EFL303 costs about 53% less in energy than a Linde H30 D on a business day rate, and about 80% less charged overnight. Try your own figures in our savings calculator, and there’s no fuel, engine oil or filters to buy. Put in your own hours to see what you’d save.
EP trucks for food and drink sites
- Walk-behind electric pallet trucks for production floors, stores and loading bays.
- The KPL201 ride-on pallet truck for longer runs across bigger floors.
- Electric forklifts for loading lorries and moving pallets around the yard.
- Automated pallet trucks for repeat runs, like the X-Mover moving bread trolleys at Brennans Bread.
Food and drink businesses running Clearlift fleets include Musgrave, Dole and La Rousse Foods. See more on our food and beverage page and our case studies.
Looked after by our own engineers
Our engineers service and repair the EP trucks we’ve sold or hired, from Navan, Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Mayo, Portadown and Lurgan, and carry EP parts in their vans. Job reports are emailed to you within 10 minutes of a job finishing, and your service and inspection records are kept in our online fleet portal. See service and parts.
Talk to us
Tell us what you move, where and for how long, and we’ll recommend the right EP trucks the same working day, with prices to buy or hire. Call 01 5267 411 (ROI) or 028 3833 7038 (NI), or send us a message.
