Sometimes, it pays to examine the method of choosing a lift truck. Like for instance, does your business always choose the same models for your dock work? If so, you can potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There may be other units on the market that enable more to get accomplished since they provide less fatigue to operators. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective way. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the best machinery to suit all of your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you can drastically increase your performance.
Several of the important factors to think about when determining forklift models that address specific issues comprise:
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 forklift to accomplish the job. A less expensive walkie-rider or walkie unit would be able to deal with the task if: You do not need to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is sufficient. Last but not least, you must think about whether or not the transition from the dock floor to the dock leveler 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 always loading trailers, than a stand-up end control will make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
For material handling needs, every business has a slightly different system. Several forklift operators will usually load and unload products in the shipping department along with storing objects on inventory racks, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, replenish the manufacturing line, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Normally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts during their shifts find it a lot quicker and less tiring to exit a stand-up control unit, rather than a sit down kind.