When your company needs to buy a forklift truck, what should be the criteria to guide your buying decision?
We asked forklift manufacturers to offer some recommendations and criteria for the pallet industry — for companies making new pallets as well as recyclers. Several responded and their input and comments are included in this article.
Dustin Hammock, industry sales manager for the Hyster Company, said a dusty work environment makes an electric forklift a bad choice. Lift trucks powered by liquid petroleum gas are a common choice, he noted, and some companies use diesel lift trucks.
Another important consideration is the lift truck operator. “Pallet manufacturing and recycling operations are subject to high workforce turnover and require equipment to navigate a variety of terrain, both indoors and outdoors, which means lift trucks face a very demanding duty cycle,” commented Hammock. “This requires lift trucks that are tough enough to deliver high performance shift after shift, week after week, move and lower heavy loads and quickly change directions from forward to reverse.”
The reliability of the lift truck is another factor, he suggested. Unplanned downtime can reduce productivity and run up costs.
Hydraulic fluid leaks can negatively impact a business because the fluid could contaminate pallets, Hammock pointed out. A Hyster lift truck can be customized at the factory with extra protection to prevent loads from contacting hydraulic lines.
“The Hyster® Fortis pneumatic tire, internal combustion engine lift truck is a strong choice for the pallet industry and other wood-handling applications,” suggested Hammock. It is equipped with a traditional DuraMatch transmission that mimics a more costly and complex hydrostatic transmission in an important way. “Its automatic slow down feature allows it to slow the speed of the truck without requiring the operator to use the brakes – similar to ‘engine braking’ in a road-going vehicle – and helping significantly reduce brake wear.”
“The Hyster Fortis series provides trained operators with all the necessary features to enable them to safely and productively operate throughout their shift in the pallet industry,” explained Hammock. “If needed by a particular application, special accessories like lights and audible alarms can be added by the factory or Hyster dealers.”
(For more information on Hyster lift trucks, visit www.hyster.com.)
Mike Kennedy, national account manager for Yale Materials Handling Corp., said pallet company owners and managers should consider the conditions where a forklift will operate.
“Pallet manufacturing and recycling operations are very demanding applications with lift trucks operated by a transient, turnover-prone workforce,” he said. “Combine that with the low margins of the pallet business, and the right lift truck for these applications needs to be a robust, well-built piece of equipment capable of reliable performance even when exposed to challenging conditions and operating behavior.”
Reliability and maintenance are important factors, he noted. Lift trucks at a pallet business will rarely be idle due to the volume of pallets and materials they must move. “Extended service intervals can help keep spending on maintenance in check without sacrificing performance, two characteristics that address the pallet industry’s need to keep costs in check and maximize value from investments in equipment,” explained Kennedy.
He also noted that leaking hydraulic fluid can contaminate finished pallets and raw materials. “Yale works with pallet customers to customize trucks to help prevent contact with hydraulic lines that can cause leaks.”
A good fit for the pallet sector is the Yale® Veracitor pneumatic tire, internal combustion lift truck. The powershift transmission is designed for high duty cycles — operators going full speed forward, then reverse and going full speed backward throughout the course of a shift. It also can be programmed to behave like a hydrostatic transmission, ‘braking’ automatically and saving a tremendous amount of brake wear.
(For more information about Yale lift trucks, visit www.yale.com.)
Choosing between pneumatic, solid, and cushion wheels, based on the operating environment, will enable the most practical use of a lift truck as well as extending its longevity, commented Kim Sawyer, marketing communications manager for KION North America Corp, which offers two lines of lift trucks, Linde and Baoli.
How much time a lift truck will be used will dictate the economical choice of the best power source she suggested. Electric lift trucks allow continued use with little downtime; they can be easily charged at any power point via wall socket. Lift trucks that rely on an engine for power, by contrast, have fuel systems that may require increased maintenance.
Consider the work space, too. Will the lift truck be working indoors 100% of the time? Will it be used out on a yard, too, and is the yard an asphalt or concrete area or gravel? Are passageways narrow or wide?
(For more information about KION and the Linde and Baoli brand of forklift trucks, visit www.kion-na.com.)
