It is quite important for several companies to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. For example, would your business choose 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 may be different other units available on the market that enable more to get accomplished because they offer less fatigue to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you can determine if you have the best equipment to meet your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift models that address your particular issues some of the key factors to consider could include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need a pricey forklift to accomplish jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie model would be able to handle the task if: A 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate and you do not need to stack loads in the trailer. Last of all, you should consider 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 should 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 easily. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
For material handling needs, every business has a slightly different system. Some forklift operators will usually load and unload products in the shipping department as well as storing things on inventory racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Normally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their lift trucks in their shifts find it a lot faster and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control model, rather than a sit down kind.