The forklift has become a vital piece of machine that could raise and transport things and heavy supplies with both speed and efficiency. How a company makes use of this tool could considerably affect its profitability.
A popular storage method is Free Stacking Pallets. This is a way to utilize your lift truck that is both easy and economical. Free Stacking Pallets involves positioning one pallet on top of another to make a stack of products. This is a stable storage method and is recommended when dealing with many pallets of the same height and dimensions or large amounts of the similar goods. The drawback of this particular method is that it only enables access to the objects put last, so it does not allow a First In First Out system.
Pallet Racking is a system 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 enables the rack to grow and change shape depending upon daily requirements. This technique requires aisles which are wide enough to allow a forklift to freely access the racks and easily maneuver. The downside is that this method means fewer pallets can be handled in the setting. This might not matter if there is enough space available.
Narrow aisle racking is similar to pallet racking in that it enables for a Last In First Out or First In First Out method. The difference in the system is how the special narrow forklift is used. This means that smaller areas are required between the aisles of pallets than in the Pallet Racking technique. The benefit is that more goods can be stored in the same space. The downside is that you would have to transition to a different type of truck if you already own a standard lift truck. The cost of acquiring special equipment may be a deterrent to implementing this particular system of storage.
Using your forklift to its fullest capability is vital because it pays to consider your retrieval costs and storage costs of pallets. After that you can find out whether there are more efficient means to utilize your forklift to accelerate the process or to increase the usable space of your units. Greater effectiveness equals bigger profitability.