It is quite important for several companies to examine the process of selecting a lift truck. Like for instance, would your business choose always the same unit for your warehouse or dock work? If this is so, you could be missing out on a more efficient forklift. There could be other units existing on the market that provide less exhaustion to operators and enable more to get accomplished. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the right equipment to suit all your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you can significantly increase your performance.
Some of the important factors to consider when determining forklift units which address particular problems consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department just loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers per week, then you probably won't need a pricey lift truck to accomplish the job. A less expensive walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to deal with the job if: You are not required to stack loads in the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate. Lastly, you must 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 because the small load wheels must travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control unit could make more sense over a walkie-rider or a walkie model. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These types of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Each business has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain circumstances, several forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Normally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks in their shifts find it a lot quicker and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down type.