The forklift truck is a very important machine to help workers lift and move heavy weight supplies and goods with efficiency and speed without injuring their bodies. How a business utilizes this machine can significantly affect its profitability.
Free stacking pallets is the most popular storage method. Utilizing this storage system is both easy and economical for your forklift. Free Stacking Pallets involves positioning one pallet over another to create a stack of goods. This is a stable storage technique and is suggested when dealing with numerous pallets of the same dimensions and height or large amounts of the same goods. The drawback of this technique is that it only enables access to the things placed last, so it does not enable a First In First Out system.
Pallet Racking is a technique which involves the stable storage of various sized pallets. Any pallet can be accessed at any time, that allows a First In First Out or Last In First Out system. It permits the rack to change shape and grow depending upon every day needs. This specific technique requires aisles that are wide enough to enable a lift truck to freely access the racks and easily maneuver. The downside is that this particular method means fewer pallets can be handled within the setting. This might not matter if there is sufficient space available.
Similar to Pallet Racking, the technique known as Narrow Aisle Racking allows 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 a lot more product could be kept in the same space. The disadvantage is that you would have to transition to a new truck if you already own a typical lift truck. The expenditure of obtaining special equipment may be a deterrent to implementing this particular method of storage.
Utilizing your forklift to its fullest potential is vital since it pays to consider your storage costs and retrieval costs of pallets. After that you can determine whether there are more efficient means to utilize your lift truck to increase the usable space of your units or to accelerate the process. Greater efficiency equals bigger profitability.