Matching lift trucks to industry demands

EVERY INDUSTRIAL application has specific requirements related to the challenging conditions under which material handling equipment must operate. In addition, there are factors particular to each industry that influence which lift truck is the ideal fit. Operator confidence and comfort are also tremendously important as they help to enhance productivity. 

Solutions for plastics manufacturing 

Increasing plant productivity is a key factor in the plastics industry today. Lift trucks play key roles throughout these applications, from the transportation of raw materials, to feeding production lines, and in both indoor and outdoor storage areas. 

Raw materials often are handled in large bags, which are stacked on top of one another in a storage area. High visibility in all directions is therefore an important factor for operators, as is manoeuvrability, supported by accurate hydraulics and intuitive operator controls. 

Where lift trucks may be handling very different loads, fork positioners may help unlock greater flexibility in a fleet as a wider variety of load sizes can be handled, including those with unusual sizes or shapes. The ability to control the forks to accommodate varied loads without exiting the operator cab so often can help enhance the operator experience, making the working shift more comfortable.

Lift trucks for metal industry challenges

Metal and steel manufacturing can be some of the toughest materials handling environments. Lift trucks may require very specific solutions to protect the operator and the truck.

Industrial metal manufacturing operations may require a fleet of lift trucks to handle finished metal goods in production areas and warehouses. Here noise and other distractions are factors that can represent a risk, especially if the truck is working in the vicinity of pedestrians.

These applications should consider selecting lift trucks with features to support driver awareness. For instance, blue and red spotlights, red line awareness lights, and alarms may be available to help indicate to pedestrians where a truck is, and that it is moving or working.  

The right fleet for construction

Robustness and reliability are the cornerstone of any lift truck selected to support a construction materials manufacturing application. In such tough environments, having the opportunity to customise a lift truck for the application’s requirements really come into play.

Lift trucks will often be used outside in dirty or dusty environments with poor ground conditions. Despite this, the right lift truck and cabin can help keep operators comfortable and focused across the whole shift, supporting productivity.

Many organisations will have a set of protocols that must be followed to help reduce incidents. These can sometimes dictate the need for awareness solutions, such as visible and audible alerts and lights. Here, telematics can also be used to help track that lift trucks are accessed by suitably trained operators and can monitor and alert to training updates. 

Operator productivity in wood handling 

Tough conditions prevail throughout the wood supply chain. Environmental factors are of paramount importance in the forklift selection process. For instance, do operators need a fully enclosed and air-conditioned cab to be comfortable? 

Of course, the loads being handled also rely on the performance of the lift truck. Long planks of wood, or oversized unpalletized loads, may affect truck stability. To support operator confidence and handling precision, specialist attachments or stability systems may be considered. 

Fine tuning forklift

There are many considerations and factors that influence the right choice of forklift for an application. What is clear, is that there are differences across industries. The new Hyster A Series lift trucks address these challenges with A+ Logic, a series of adjustable features to configure the truck to specific requirements.

Robert O'Donoghue is VP marketing and solutions, EMEA at Hyster-Yale Group

For more information: 

www.hyster.com

Tel: 01276 538500