If you run a warehouse or manufacturing business, there’s a good chance that, at some point, you’ll need to rent forklifts for your site.
Whether you need them for a one-off job or as a more permanent solution to optimize your warehouse space and make things easier for your employees, forklifts are an essential piece of equipment for any company that operates on this scale.
With so many different options, it can be challenging to know which kind of forklift is right for you and your company. If you’re unsure what you need, read on to learn more about the various types of forklifts you can expect to find at a forklift rental service to know which one might suit your needs.
1. Tractor-Based Forklifts
One of the most common types of forklifts is the tractor-based forklift. These are powered by an engine that sits at the back of the forklift and a drive train that sends power to the wheels at the front of the forklift.
Tractor-based forklifts are best suited to indoor use and are particularly useful if you need to move large loads around your warehouse. This engine can cover various types, and you’ll want to ensure it’s powerful enough to lift the load you plan to use it for.
2. Stacker Forklifts
Unlike tractor-based forklifts, stacker forklifts don’t have engines at the back. Instead, they have a powered lift at the front that lifts palettes off the ground and stacks them on top of each other.
This powered lift can be raised, lowered, and tilted depending on where you want the forks to go. This can be particularly useful for companies that need to stack palettes of materials on top of each other rather than side by side.
Since stacker forklifts don’t have an engine at the back, they’re a good option if you need to work in a limited space.
3. Reach Forklifts
Reach forklifts are designed to lift palettes close to the roof of the warehouse or manufacturing plant. This type of forklift has a telescopic arm that extends outwards to reach the top of the materials, letting you quickly load and unload palettes without climbing up a stepladder or ladder.
Reach forklifts can be a good choice if the materials in your warehouse are stored at a high level.
4. Smart Forklifts
An intelligent forklift might be a good option if you want to keep track of your forklift activity. These forklifts use sensors and GPS to track where they are, how fast they travel, and other vital metrics.
This can be particularly useful if you need to keep track of your forklifts in a large warehouse or where forklift activity is high. Many innovative forklifts also come with a smartphone app that lets you track the forklifts from anywhere on the site.
5. Bend-Donning Forklifts
This forklift type has forks curved inwards instead of outwards like many other forklifts. This means they can fit in a much smaller space and let you load and unload palettes much more closely together than other forklifts.
Bend-donning forklifts are helpful if your warehouse or manufacturing plant is particularly narrow.
Final Words: Choosing a Forklift Rental Service?
Now that you have an overview of the different types of forklifts, it’s time to decide which one works best for you.
When choosing a type of forklift, there are a few key factors to keep in mind, such as the size of the machine, the materials you need to load each day, and how heavy they are. This will help you to choose a forklift that’s powerful enough to lift the load and can fit in your business space.
