Narrow Aisle Forklifts
Some forklifts are particularly designed to fit down very narrow aisles in a warehouse. These units are referred to as narrow aisle forklifts. They can easily negotiate smaller aisles and enable you to enjoy some benefits. Like for example, the increased amount of space to keep objects can greatly increase the overall available stock of a business.
Narrow aisle lift trucks could maneuver easily too. These machines have been specially engineered to move without much space. Their different design has eliminated a lot of the items that are squished up into the main body of the traditional forklift design.
The disadvantage of narrow aisle forklifts is that they are very slow compared to standard forklifts. Narrow aisle lift trucks will not work if you have to move objects across large distances. In terms of speed they would not be a reliable option. If you also have a regular lift truck, this would not be a problem. You could simply use the narrow aisle forklift to transport the load to a central place and afterward hand it off to a standard lift truck that can travel the bulk of the distance in a timely and efficient way. Frequently, narrow aisle lift trucks cannot handle as much lifting weight; therefore, outside of smaller loads they will not be very helpful.
Electric Lift Trucks
For indoor operations like stores or in warehouses, conventional gas lift trucks are not a suitable alternative. They will not be as safe due to their fumes, or as helpful or cost-efficient than an electric powered unit. Electric lift trucks are normally engineered to look and function a lot like gas ones, but they rely on electric batteries which should be recharged, rather than gasoline fuel.
The electrically powered lift truck has become more common and for a range of reasons. These machines can help businesses save expenses on fuel. Electric units would initially cost more, but will ultimately save you more over time. Like for example, when gas prices go up, you will save lots of cash as you would not be affected. Electric models tend to last quite a bit longer compared to gas powered models also. This is partly due to the fact they are mainly used indoors and thus don't get as dirty or work in as harsh settings as the gas powered models. Electric models are healthier to utilize in places that are poorly ventilated like warehouses and indoor operations as they don't emit noxious fumes. It could be really dangerous to use diesel or gas lift trucks inside.
Among the major downsides to electric lift trucks is the fact they could generally only work for one 8 hour shift before the battery needs to be charged for another shift. Numerous businesses get around this situation by buying a spare battery so they can have less downtime and continually cycle them. There are fast charge batteries available on the market which are also minimizing the charging time.