It is quite key for several businesses to examine the method of choosing a forklift. Like for instance, would your company choose consistently the same unit for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you might be missing out on a more effective forklift. There may be other units on the market that offer less exhaustion to operators and allow more to get accomplished. You may 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 best machinery to suit your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
Some of the important factors to think about when determining forklift models which address specific concerns comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers per week, then you probably won't need a pricey forklift to accomplish the tasks. A less expensive walkie-rider or walkie unit would be able to deal with the task if: A 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is enough and you are not required to stack loads in the trailer. Last but not least, 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 have to travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control unit may 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 types of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Each company has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain circumstances, several forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork connected with the loads, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Generally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it much quicker and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down type.