Reach Forklifts
Space is generally at a premium in most distribution centers or warehouse environments. The less space required for aisles in which to use machinery, the more room overall you would have for the storage of goods and products. Therefore, specialized equipment has been designed for operating in very narrow aisles so as to maximize space and efficiency.
Reach Trucks
A reach forklift is a specialized kind of machine that has a mast that extends away from the body of the forklift. It usually is attached with a scissor apparatus. When the scissor is drawn in or compacted, the forklift becomes a lot narrower that the typical forklift.
Operator Position
Reach trucks are designed so the driver could stand while in operation of the equipment. This is a contrast to the typical forklift where the driver is normally sitting. The standing operation area lessens the amount of room needed for the compartment of the operator, allowing the machinery to accomplish an even smaller profile overall.
Space Saving
With a reach truck, aisles can be made as narrow as 7 feet. The majority of standard lift trucks require a minimum aisle space of roughly 11 feet; thus, using a reach truck gives around a savings of 5 feet on each aisle. When renting a warehouse on a square foot basis, this is a significant amount of space.
Unique Controls
Usually, a reach truck is steered using a rotating lever located beside the driver on a platform. There is another lever used to control reverse and forward, the mast and for extending the mast. These controls are quite different than regular forklift controls.
Load Capacity
The reach truck would normally have a load capacity less than standard forklifts. This is mainly because of the narrow design of the equipment, which can result in a really high center of gravity. When the load is raised and the mast is extended fully, this is particularly true.