It is quite important for several businesses to examine the method of choosing a lift truck. For example, would your business select always the same model for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you might be missing out on a more efficient forklift. There could be other models available on the market that offer 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 evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the right equipment to suit all your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you can significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift models that deal with your particular problems several of the key factors to consider may comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need an expensive lift truck to complete tasks if your shipping and receiving department loads just a few box trucks or semi-trailers per week. An inexpensive walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to handle the job if: You do not need to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate. Last but not least, 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 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-rider or a walkie model. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door easily. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These types of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Every company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, some forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less tiring and much faster to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down type.