DC Velocity - January 2017

M at er i a l H an d l i n g

L I F T T RU CK S

electric that could go wherever a manual could. Demand is so strong, he adds, that it has become the company’s all-time best-seller.

The popularity of direct-to-store delivery not only creates a need for maneuverability in small spaces but also places a premium on stability, says David McNeill, Yale’s MPB045VG motorized hand truck, with its six-inch battery box, stability casters, load-retention strap, and moveable load backrest for multiple pallets.

Although they’re typically used for
floor-level handling, pallet trucks are exploring
new territory off the ground, too. Second-level order
pickers—rider pallet trucks that can elevate operators to
a height of about 32 to 38 inches (as shown in the accom-
panying photo)—are starting to migrate from Europe to
North America. According to Rice, few companies here are
using them so far, but interest in this type of equipment is
“phenomenal,” particularly among companies that don’t
have enough floor space for all of their stock-keeping units
(SKUs). Because second-level pickers allow operators to
quickly access both the first and second level of storage
with the same piece of equipment, users can add SKUs
without slowing operations or having to expand the facil-
ity. Currently, European equipment designed for com-
paratively light duty is available here, Rice says, but
Raymond will introduce a heavier-duty second-level
picker designed for and built in North America
later this year.

HOT TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD
Technology is helping pallet trucks work
harder, smarter, and faster in applications
old and new. For example, new mate-
rials are improving strength and dura-
bility without increasing the weight of
the truck itself. Rice mentions thermo
elastomers (essentially rubberized plastic),
duc- tile iron (made by infusing magnesium into steel),
and high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) aluminum. All are
more flexible and resilient than the traditional low-carbon
steel but weigh much less.