It is quite key for some companies to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. For example, will your business choose always the same model for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you could be missing out on a more effective forklift. There could be other units available on the market that enable more to get accomplished because they provide less exhaustion to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you can determine if you have the best machinery to meet all of your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
Some of the key factors to consider when determining forklift units that address specific problems include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week, then you probably won't need an expensive forklift to complete the tasks. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie model would be able to handle the job if: You do not need to stack loads in the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is enough. Last but not least, you should 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 on the other hand, your shipping facility is always 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 without difficulty. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
For material handling needs, each company has a slightly different system. Some forklift operators would normally load and unload goods in the shipping department in addition to storing objects on inventory racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, attach and scan bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less fatiguing and much faster to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down kind.