It is quite key for several companies to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. For instance, would your business select consistently the same unit for your warehouse or dock work? If this is so, you could be missing out on a more effective forklift. There might be other models available on the market which allow more to get accomplished as they offer less fatigue to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you can determine if you have the best machinery to suit your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you can significantly increase your performance.
Some of the key factors to think about when determining forklift models which deal with specific issues include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department just loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers per week, then you probably won't require a pricey lift truck to complete the job. A cheaper walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to handle the task if: You do not need to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is adequate. Last of all, you have to think about whether or not the transition to the dock leveler from the dock floor and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator as the small load wheels must travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers, than a stand-up end control will make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door without difficulty. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Every business has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, several forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork connected with the cargo, attach and scan bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less fatiguing and a lot quicker to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down kind.