It is quite important for some companies to examine the method of selecting a forklift. For example, will your company choose consistently the same model for your warehouse or dock work? If this is so, you might be missing out on a more efficient forklift. There may be various other units on the market that enable more to get done since they provide less exhaustion to operators. 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 all your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift units that deal with your particular issues several of the key factors to think about can consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department just 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 unit would be able to deal with the job if: You are not required to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate. Lastly, 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 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 model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Every company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, several forklift operators not just 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 tasks. Generally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts during their shifts find it much faster and less tiring to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down type.