High lift reach trucks help maximise floor space

WAREHOUSING AND distribution companies are increasingly gravitating towards high bay buildings in order to achieve maximum utilisation of the floor area available. “We have the technology to go higher,” says Eugene Steenhuisen of Toyota Forklift, “and with the cost of land, the time has come to use it.” Traditionally warehouses were built to the limits of the equipment, which could only go to 9 metres. “The handling equipment of choice has become the high lift reach truck with lift heights of up to 11.5 metres with resulting heights of up to 13 metres to the top of the load.” Reach trucks offer greater flexibility over the previously popular VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) trucks for working at height. “They can handle varying load sizes and work with conventional racking and aisle layouts,” adds Steenhuisen. “We have developed tilting cabs where the entire driver’s cabin tilts to one side so that the driver has a better view of the task being performed. This puts less strain on the neck resulting in better productivity,” says Steenhuisen. "Other tools for working at height include height indicators and height pre-select. “We also have mounted fork cameras to give the driver a view of the pallet opening through an on-board monitor.” Compared to conventional low bay options with forklift trucks, high lift reach trucks place greater emphasis on floor quality to ensure safety and efficiency in the warehouse. “The higher you operate, the flatter your floor should be,” says Steenhuisen, although a solid floor is essential to all warehouse operations, regardless of height. “Reach trucks don’t have any suspension, especially with their hard polyurethane wheels, so any and all shock from poor floors is sent straight to the electronic components in the cab. “Rather pay the extra money by getting in a specialist flooring company than trying to cut cost on the floor or use an inexperienced contractor.”