Narrow Aisle Forklifts
Several lift trucks are particularly designed to fit down very narrow aisles inside a warehouse. These units are referred to as narrow aisle forklifts. They can easily negotiate smaller aisles and allow you to enjoy several benefits. Like for example, the increased amount of space to store things could greatly increase a company's overall available stock.
The narrow aisle lift truck is made to maneuver quite easily, since they are engineered particularly to operate in confined areas. Their different design has eliminated many of the things which are squished up into the design of the traditional forklift's main body.
The downside of narrow aisle lift trucks is that they are really slow in comparison to standard forklifts. Narrow aisle forklifts will not work if you need to transport objects across large distances. When it comes to speed they will not be a reliable alternative. If you also have a standard lift truck, this will not be a problem. You could just utilize the narrow aisle lift truck to transport the load to a central site and then hand it off to a regular forklift that could travel the bulk of the distance in a timely and efficient method. Frequently, narrow aisle forklifts cannot handle as much lifting weight; therefore, outside of smaller loads they will not be very useful.
Electric Lift Trucks
For indoor use such as stores or in warehouses, traditional gas lift trucks are not a suitable option. They would not be as safe due to their fumes, or as cost-efficient or helpful compared to an electric powered model. Electric lift trucks are usually engineered to work and look a lot like gas ones, but they use electric batteries that should be recharged, instead of gasoline fuel.
Electric forklifts are common for a variety of reasons. For starters, they will save you lots of money on fuel costs. At first, electric units might cost more but eventually, they make up for this in the long run. Like for instance, when gas prices increase, you will not be affected and would save a lot of cash. Electric models tend to last quite a bit longer compared to gas powered units too. This is partly due to the fact they are mainly used indoors and hence don't get as dirty or work in as harsh settings as the gas powered models. Electric models are healthier to use in places which are poorly ventilated like indoor operations and warehouses because they don't emit noxious fumes. It can be really dangerous to use diesel or gas forklifts inside.
One of the major disadvantages to electric forklifts is the fact they could normally just work for one 8 hour shift before the battery has to be charged for another shift. Numerous companies get around this condition by purchasing 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.