Services / Finance & Leasing
Flexible forklift finance for Irish businesses
Hire purchase, operating lease and contract hire on the full Xilin, MasterMover and ORI range — arranged with established asset-finance providers, all approved on Irish terms.
Funding a forklift in Ireland
The right truck, on terms that suit your accounts and cash flow
A modern forklift is a €25,000–€90,000 asset — a big single hit for most Irish businesses. Finance lets you match the payment schedule to the working life of the truck, protect working capital for growth, and keep your fleet current with the latest efficiency, safety and emissions technology. AWE has arranged forklift finance for Irish customers for decades, working with a panel of established Irish and UK asset-finance houses that understand materials handling residuals. We'll walk you through the three main routes — hire purchase, operating lease and contract hire — model each against your utilisation, and get an approval in 2–3 working days.
Options
Three routes to the same outcome — the right truck, on the right terms
Each option has different balance-sheet, tax and ownership implications — we'll help you pick the one that fits.
Hire Purchase (HP)
Fixed monthly payments, ownership at the end of the term. VAT reclaimable up front, capital allowances retained.
Best for: Operators who plan to keep the truck long-term.
Operating Lease
Off-balance-sheet rental over an agreed term. Predictable monthly cost, no residual value risk, return at term-end.
Best for: Finance teams protecting the balance sheet.
Contract Hire
One inclusive monthly figure covering finance, servicing, LOLER, tyres and breakdown cover. No surprises.
Best for: Fleets wanting a single line-item with full uptime cover.
Head to head
Hire purchase vs operating lease vs contract hire
A quick side-by-side of the three funding routes on the metrics that usually matter most.
| Hire Purchase | Operating Lease | Contract Hire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 24–84 months | 24–60 months | 36–60 months |
| You own the truck at end | Yes | No | No |
| On balance sheet | Yes | No | Optional |
| Fixed monthly payment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maintenance included | No | No | Yes |
| LOLER included | No | No | Yes |
| Breakdown cover included | No | No | Yes |
| Tax-deductible payments | Optional | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Long-term ownership | Balance-sheet clarity | Full uptime cover |
The right route depends on how long you'll keep the truck, how important balance-sheet treatment is, and whether you want maintenance bundled in. We'll help you model it — no obligation.
How it works
From spec to first monthly payment.
Spec the equipment
Choose the truck (or fleet) — we'll help you land the right spec if you're weighing options.
Pick the funding route
HP, operating lease or contract hire. We'll walk you through the trade-offs and model each against your usage.
Approval within days
Application to our lender panel — approval is typically 2–3 working days for standard requests.
Delivered & running
Documents signed, truck delivered, first monthly payment 30 days later — clean and predictable.
Why AWE
Why finance through AWE
Protect cash flow
Spread the cost over 24–60 months rather than one capex hit.
Fixed rates
Lock in a monthly figure — insulate against rate movement.
Irish-market lenders
Established Irish and UK asset-finance houses experienced in materials handling.
Upgrade path
Roll into new equipment at term-end — keep the fleet modern and efficient.
Proof
"We needed six new counterbalance electrics but couldn't take the capex. AWE put a 5-year contract hire deal together in a week — one monthly figure, all-in."
FAQ
Forklift finance — common questions
Keep exploring
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Ready to spread the cost?
Call (01) 401 9919 to talk to our sales team about finance options that suit your operation.