A question our customers have asked us several times, your forklifts reach higher and heavier, but … ‘Can it do the job, will it do the job, and how will it fit into my operation’ – a similar question asked by many warehouse and Logistics companies when hiring new personnel. A little like hiring your operational staff, it’s a big decision and commitment taking on new overhead costs. How can you ensure you are making the right decision when purchasing your reach truck?
It’s easy to get trapped into only focusing on the cost-of-acquisition of MHE, commonly known as the price. Focusing on the price alone, will not necessarily provide you with the right truck for the right job, and there is the operator health and safety to consider.
Can it do the job?
It’s not just about innovative technology for your productivity. Trucks must be able to deliver the right performance for your operation safely and have good ergonomics. If truck ergonomic design allows the operator to remain in a natural position during the entire working day, your operation will save money avoiding repetitive injury and strain. ‘HSE statistics show that each year, over a million workers are injured or made ill by their work in Great Britain’, HSE.
Will it do the job and will it fit?
When your materials handling needs are particularly intensive, a quality reach truck may be the best tool for the job. MHE requirements for loading and unloading goods; intake and retrieval of unit loads and picking stores vary. For example, will the goods be stored in conventional wide-aisle racking or in a very narrow aisle (VNA) solution?
For VNA, the mast of a reach truck will need to allow the trucks to remove and place pallets in narrow aisles from high racks with ease, and comprise of solid design and sheer strength – making them the perfect truck for high stacking any kind of pallet or load, however awkward or heavy – whilst ensuring they don’t topple over. Dependent of your operation, your reach truck may require durability and options of telescopic forks, and multi-directional handling allowing them to handle irregular pallets in deep racking and narrow aisles with ease.
Your free guide
How can you ensure you are making the right decision when purchasing your reach truck? When investing in a new reach truck – it’s important to consider ergonomics, environment, and safety – which are all important aspects of the complex MH world.
To find out more about buying the right reach truck for your operation, whilst considering your environment and ergonomics, click the button below and download our free guide.