The lift truck has become a vital piece of equipment able to raise and transport products and heavy supplies with both efficiency and speed. How a company utilizes this tool can considerably affect its productivity.
Free stacking pallets is the most common storage system. Using this storage method is both economical and easy for your forklift. Free Stacking Pallets involves positioning one pallet over another to make a stack of products. This is a stable storage technique and is recommended when handling many pallets of similar dimensions and height or large amounts of the similar product. The drawback of this particular technique is that it just enables access to the items placed last, so it does not allow a First In First Out system.
Pallet Racking is a technique that involves the stable storage of different sized pallets. Any pallet could be accessed at any time, which enables a First In First Out or Last In First Out system. It allows the rack to change shape and grow depending upon daily needs. This specific system needs aisles which are adequately wide to enable a lift truck to freely access the racks and easily maneuver. The disadvantage is that this particular method means less pallets can be handled within the setting. This might not make a difference if there is sufficient space available.
Narrow aisle racking is similar to pallet racking in that it allows for a Last In First Out or First In First Out technique. The difference in the system is how the special narrow forklift is used. This means that smaller spaces are required between the aisles of pallets than in the Pallet Racking method. The benefit is that a lot more goods could be kept in the same area. The disadvantage is that you will have to transition to a new truck if you already own a regular forklift truck. The expenditure of obtaining special machinery might be a deterrent to adopting this particular system of storage.
Utilizing your lift truck to its fullest capability is essential because it pays to consider your retrieval costs and storage costs of pallets. Afterward you can determine whether there are more effective ways to use your forklift to speed up the process or to increase the usable area of your units. Greater efficiency means greater profitability.