Pick the right lift truck

[tnvlNc ro FoRCE a single type of lift truck to work in I. every process required by LBM warehouses and distribution centers will result in lost productivity and frequent maintenance, which can lead to downtime. Selecting the right truck for the job optimizes productivity, efficiency and, ultimately, costs. To ensure the right trucks are being used in specific applications. it is important to consider the capabilities of various lift trucks and ensure those capabilities are tailored to efficiently meet material handling needs.

Sit-down counterbalanced lift trucks offer versatility and large load handling capacities that make them efficient and productive in dock environments. They are flexible for use with both standard pallet sizes and long loads, such as lumber. To further facilitate the handling of many products with varying sizes, these trucks can utilize various attachments-such as slip-sheet attachments to handle non-palletized loads, roll and carton clamps, and boom attachments that allow the truck to act as a mobile jib crane for access from the top of non-palletized loads.

Sit-down counterbalanced lift trucks are ideal for moving products and pallets from dock to storage areas, and can be used to pick loads from racks up to 340 inches.

Stand-up reach trucks, with capacities in excess of 4,500 lbs. and a reach as high as 444 inches, handle large loads at greater heights. Their ability to handle products stored in higher racks means warehouses can increase storage space by storing products higher off the ground instead of adding racks or using floor space for storage-vital for maximizing the use of an existing warehouse footprint. Reach trucks are ideal for palletized loads, such as windows, insulation, shingles, flooring and some hardware.

Four-directional reach trucks can travel in four directions, eliminating the need to perform right-angle turns. This makes the trucks extremely maneuverable, even when handling long or wide loads such as pipe, lumber, furniture or carpet. In addition, because the trucks can travel sideways within aisles, facilities can reduce aisle width and better utilize the available warehouse soace.

Four-directional trucks handli standard pallets and include an auxiliary carriage option to add forks for greater stability when handling long loads like mouldings and trim.

Sideloaders are uniquely designed to move long or bulky materials, such as bar stock, tubing, laminates and plywood sheets, in very narrow aisles, helping to maximize space optimization. They also offer a robust lifting capacity of up to 10,000 lbs. and can handle loads up to 26 ft. long.

Sideloaders are ideal for stocking and picking long or bulky materials within aisles and moving them to another location within the facility where they would typically be transported by another lift truck, especially if the long loads need to be transported through narrower doorways.

Orderpickers enable the operator to be lifted with the lift truck to pick single or packaged loads. Since operators can pick loads at higher levels, facilities can store products for orderpicking from floor level up to 390 inches. Orderpickers are ideal for putting away and picking cases and cartons to fulfill orders. They can be used for picking smaller items, such as hardware or smaller component parts that may be needed for order fulfillment for retail.

Facilities also can choose to mount pick carts on the forks of an orderpicker, which facilitates picking methods by allowing the operator to easily sort and pick multiple orders because the carts ale compartmentalized. These carts can be configured to secure longer loads as well, such as windows and glass. Orderpickers can be configured with a larger operator platform, giving operators more room to work, and longer forks to accommodate longer loads.

Tow Tractors, designed for horizontal transportation of carts that hold various size loads, feature towing capacities up to 10,000 lbs. They typically are used for batch orderpicking and horizontal transport of products that can be placed into carts and then moved within the warehouse or distribution center, making them a cost-effective solution for moving materials from one area to another.