Deciding on the Right Forklift for Your Business

Deciding on The Right Forklift for Your Business

Investing in a forklift can be a difficult decision. With so many options out there, how do you decide which is right one for you? Finding the right forklift for your business requires special insight if you want to find the most productive and cost-effective option.

Electric Forklifts

These forklifts pack a lot of power and should be used indoors. They cost less to operate because they don’t require any additional or fuel storage areas. Electric forklifts also have fewer moving parts, which can mean less upkeep. They tend to be very quiet to operate and are generally easier and safer to navigate with automatic braking. Electric forklifts do require charging and usually a charging station area in your operations which can sometime take up critical space.

High Capacity Forklifts

For the heavy loads, high capacity forklifts are best. While this level of power could be overkill for some companies, high capacity forklifts are essential if you handle heavy loads on a regular basis.

Internal Combustion Forklifts

Internal combustion forklifts are the most durable of all forklifts. They’re designed to withstand the weather conditions, so they are great for construction sites and loading docks. They are louder than an electric truck and emit fumes but can last an 8-hour shift.

Narrow Aisle Forklifts

One of the most popular types of forklifts used in warehouses is a narrow- aisle truck. The narrow-aisle forklifts can navigate cramped spaces and tight turns. Narrow aisle forklifts are less cumbersome compared to larger forklifts and are often a good choice for new operators to help reduce injuries and product damage in tight spaces.

Reach trucks

Reach trucks are designed for to work in the aisles of a warehouse or similar indoor lift applications and can easily pull items by reaching into racking with an extendable carriage and forks. When operated in outdoor environments the reach truck can have issues with uneven work surfaces and should not be used in the rain as they are electric.

Specialty

Sometimes your warehouse calls for more than a basic forklift. If you have an application which requires long or oversized loads, there are forklifts specifically designed to handle such product efficiently and safely.

Need help finding the best solution for you? Give us a call at 800.856.0931 and we can help.