Reach Forklifts
Space is generally at a premium in the majority of distribution facilities or warehouse environments. The less space needed for aisles in which to utilize machinery, the more room overall you would have to store goods and products. For this reason, specialized equipment has been designed to be utilized in very narrow aisles in order to maximize efficiency and space.
Reach Trucks
A reach forklift is a specialized kind of machinery that has a mast which extends away from the body of the forklift. It normally is attached with a scissor mechanism. When the scissor is compacted or drawn in, the forklift becomes much narrower compared to the typical forklift.
Operator Position
Most reach trucks are designed so that the operator is standing while operating the unit. This is a contrast to the standard lift truck where the operator is usually sitting. The standing operation area lessens the amount of room needed for the driver compartment, enabling the equipment to achieve an even smaller profile overall.
Space Saving
With a reach truck, aisles can be made as narrow as 7 feet. The majority of standard lift trucks require a minimum aisle space of around 11 feet; therefore, utilizing a reach truck provides roughly a savings of 5 feet on every aisle. When the warehouse is leased by the square foot basis, this is a considerable amount of space.
Unique Controls
A reach truck is normally steered using a rotating lever that is located on a platform beside the operator. There is one more lever utilized to control forward and reverse, the mast as well as for extending the mast. These controls are quite different than typical forklift controls.
Load Capacity
Normally, the load capacity for a reach truck is less than that of a standard lift truck, depending on the kind. This is mainly because of the equipment's narrow design, that could result in a very high center of gravity. When the mast is extended fully and the load is raised, this is actually true.