When the time comes to select the proper warehouse truck, it is a good idea to figure out how high you intend to raise your loads, how much you need to raise, how much space you need to work in and how far you would like to travel. These factors will really influence your purchasing decision and help decipher what type of forklift truck is really the ideal one out there to suit all your requirements and meet your whole expectations.
Normal Aisles
Pedestrian stackers are the most economical as these equipment are best utilized in standard width aisles and are able to complete ordinary warehouse stacking jobs. They are capable of easily lifting loads of less than 750kg and can stack them to heights of about 4.5 metres. Another type known as rider stackers could successfully lift cargo to about 6 metres.
Yet another alternative to consider are reach trucks as they provide much greater lift and load capacities, while several models complete with telescopic forks. This feature allows you the ability to stack pallets two deep. For added flexibility in handling goods, there is a 4-way and a multi-way reach truck which as the name implies, can be driven in four directions. These models are specifically suitable for handling long and bulky objects like piping, planks and boards.
Counterbalance trucks are best suitable for traveling longer distance and are a good choice for stacking jobs, especially block stacking. They are also an excellent option for free stacking and stacking cargo that weigh over 2 tonnes.
A Tight Squeeze
If you are working in a high-density storage operation, the aisle space will typically be much narrower and the heights you would want to reach to would possibly be a lot higher. Man-up telescopic lift trucks work great in high-bay, narrow aisle stores. They provide the driver or operator a good view of the stacking process. There are also types known as man-up combi trucks. These are fairly versatile in that they could be utilized for both order- picking and stacking tasks. They can be utilized in narrow aisles or driven throughout the warehouse.