The forklift has become a vital piece of machinery able to lift and move products and heavy supplies with both efficiency and speed. The way a company utilizes this machinery can significantly affect its profitability.
A popular storage method is Free Stacking Pallets. This is a way to use your lift truck which is easy and economical. Free Stacking Pallets involves positioning one pallet over another to make a stack of goods. This is a stable storage system and is suggested when dealing with numerous pallets of similar height and dimensions or large amounts of the similar goods. The drawback of this technique is that it only allows access to the things put last, so it does not enable a First In First Out system.
Pallet Racking is a technique that involves the stable storage of various sized pallets. Any pallet can be accessed at any time, that enables a Last In First Out or First In First Out technique. It allows the rack to change shape and grow depending upon every day requirements. This system requires aisles which are sufficiently wide to allow a forklift to freely access the racks and easily maneuver. The disadvantage is that this system means less pallets can be handled within the environment. This might not make a difference if there is enough 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 method. The difference in the method is how the special narrow forklift 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 goods could be kept in the same space. The disadvantage is that you will have to transition to a new truck if you already own a typical lift truck. The cost of obtaining special machines might be a deterrent to adopting this method of storage.
It is vital to use your lift truck to its full potential. It pays to analyze your time expenses in storage and retrieval of pallets. Afterward you can find out whether there are more efficient means to use your lift truck in order to increase the usable area of your units or to accelerate the process. Greater efficiency equals bigger profitability.