Sometimes, it pays to examine the process of choosing a forklift. Like for instance, does your company always choose the same models for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more efficient truck. There can be various other models existing on the market that offer less exhaustion to operators and allow more to get accomplished. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you can determine if you have the best machinery to suit your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you can drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift models which address your particular problems several of the important factors to think about may comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week, then you probably won't require a pricey forklift to accomplish the tasks. An inexpensive walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to deal with the task if: A 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is enough and you do not need to stack loads in the trailer. Lastly, you have to 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 should travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers, than a stand-up end control will make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door without difficulty. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
For material handling requirements, each company has a slightly different system. Some lift truck operators will often unload and load products in the shipping department in addition to storing items on inventory racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Normally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it a lot quicker and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down kind.