The lift truck is a vital tool to help workers lift and move heavy weight supplies and goods with efficiency and speed without injuring their bodies. The way a business uses this machine could significantly affect its profitability.
Free stacking pallets is the most common storage method. Utilizing this storage system is both economical and easy for your forklift. Free Stacking Pallets is placing one pallet on top of another to make a stack of goods. This is a stable storage method and is suggested when dealing with large amounts of the same goods, or numerous pallets of similar dimensions and height. The disadvantage of this particular system is that it only enables access to the objects put last, so it does not enable a First In First Out system.
Pallet Racking is a system which involves the stable storage of various sized pallets. Any pallet can be accessed at any time, which enables a Last In First Out or First In First Out method. It enables the rack to change shape and grow depending upon daily needs. This particular method requires aisles that are wide enough to allow a forklift to freely access the racks and maneuver easily. The downside is that this system means fewer pallets could be handled in the setting. This may not matter if there is enough space available.
Like Pallet Racking, the method referred to as Narrow Aisle Racking enables a First In First Out or Last In First Out system. It differs in that a special narrow lift truck is used. This means that smaller spaces are necessary between the aisles of pallets than in the Pallet Racking method. The benefit is that more product could be kept in the same area. The downside is that you will have to transition to a new truck if you already own a standard lift truck. The cost of obtaining special machinery might be a deterrent to adopting this particular method of storage.
Utilizing your forklift to its fullest potential is vital because it pays to analyze your storage costs and retrieval costs of pallets. Afterward you can determine whether there are more efficient means to use your lift truck to increase the usable space of your units or to speed up the process. Greater effectiveness equals bigger profitability.