Pallet Truck Adaptations – Extra Features for Extra Versatility

Since its invention in the early 20^th century, the hand pallet truck has proven itself time and again as one of the most important pieces of equipment in many workplaces. Their versatility and durability means they can be used for a variety of different purposes over long periods of time and they have served many businesses well for decades. UK Pallet Trucks is one of the largest pallet truck retailers in the UK with a truck to suit a range of specific requirements and environments.

In certain workplaces, extra reinforcement is often required to protect not only the equipment, but the cargo that is being transported. Galvanized pallet trucks have been specially created to withstand even the harshest of conditions, including the freezing temperatures found in industrial freezers and the wet surroundings that are a feature at docks and ports. These types of trucks are also popularly used in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, as they can withstand large amounts of harsh chemicals without corrosion; a useful feature when much of the equipment in such workplaces has to be completely sterile. 

In working environments such as building sites, agricultural areas, garden centres or any workplace with an outdoor area, the ground can often be uneven and difficult to manoeuvre a truck across. Undulating surfaces and pallet trucks loaded full of cargo are a recipe for a health and safety disaster, and so it is important for businesses in this situation to ensure they have the appropriate truck for the job. A rough terrain pallet truck has pneumatic tyres which help to keep the cargo as steady as possible when crossing unsteady surfaces, thus keeping operating staff safe and the goods undamaged. Easy movement and control over difficult surfaces is afforded by a 210 degree turning radius, and the adjustable forks combined with a high capacity of 1200kg allow for manipulation of awkwardly shaped loads.

A traverse pallet truck is another example of a slightly altered pump truck which has been adapted for a very different purpose. In warehouses or distribution centres which often feature narrow aisles and passageways, it is important that a truck should be able to manoeuvre unobstructed. Traverse pallet trucks move sideways rather than forwards and backwards and offer an element of flexibility regarding the transportation of cargo from one area to another. These types of truck can also double up as a regular pallet truck when their traverse capabilities are not needed; in sideways mode they can carry up to 1500kg and when being used as a normal pallet truck this increases to 2500kg.

To find out more about pallet trucks and buy online, visit http://www.pallettrucksuk.co.uk or Tel: 0845 519 2700.

Industry Growth Expected As A Result Of Autumn Statement

When the market for automated handling equipment such as manual stacker trucks and lift tables experienced a sharp fall in 2009, it was expected that the industry would take a few years to repair itself. The country was in the grip of recession and businesses were struggling to get back on track, causing experts to predict a long and slow road back to growth and progression for automated handling equipment. But despite the worrying dip, and the country’s inability to escape the recession, it is now predicted that growth will be seen in this sector over the next few years, helped in no small part by George Osborne’s recent Autumn Statement.

The Autumn Statement contained, among many actions supporting small businesses, a business bank worth £1bn, and a huge leap on tax relief on plant and machinery; from £25,000 to a quarter of a million pounds worth of investment from January onwards. The encouraging initiatives are intended to coax businesses into investing in new equipment, especially those in the manufacturing industry, who are large proponents of automated handling equipment. The amount businesses can invest tax free, in equipment such as pallet trucks and lift tables, will increase tenfold and aid the industry’s careful steps on the road to recovery.

Indeed, since 2009, the market has exceeded expectations despite adverse economic conditions and widespread financial uncertainty. Those in the manufacturing industry have experimented with ways in which they can optimise working space using narrow aisle traverse trucks, and have tried to streamline working processes by bringing in new fleets of weighing scale pallet trucks. Though the Autumn Statement has aimed to encourage small to medium businesses to part with the billions of pounds in revenue that they are supposedly hoarding, it was actually these types of companies who were spending the most on such new equipment to hone their workplace.

It is thought that many businesses in the manufacturing industry currently shy away from total automation of their equipment, purely because trucks such as semi-electric stacker trucks are more flexible than their completely electric counterparts. The trucks have a manual aspect which allows employees to operate the machinery, spotting mistakes or errors that might be missed with a solely automated system. The most successful trucks in this volatile time have been the ones which combine electric capabilities with manual controls, such as aerial work platforms which rise to heights of up to three metres, allowing employees to carry out maintenance and work at height. As it stands, the industry relies on such apparatus, and growth in the sector will continue to grow steadily after a possible spark from Mr Osborne’s new schemes.

The Evolution of The Pallet Truck

The first recorded uses of the hand pallet truck date back to the last decades of the 19^th century, when the industrial revolution was in full swing. The multitude of factories, warehouses and manufacturing plants which were popping up all over the world needed to find new, efficiency ways to meet demand and transport their goods around workplaces which were increasing in size. A crude and basic low-lift hand pallet truck was invented in 1887 which would elevate a pallet (or a ‘skid’) a few inches from the floor by manual means. It would not yet facilitate the movement of goods from one place to another. Some years later, in 1909, a new version was crafted, made entirely from steel, and offering the same premise; minimal lifting and minimal movement. These early lifting trucks had platforms rather than forks, and so they were not initially used for lifting pallets, but rather just for goods themselves.

The high-lift pallet truck was introduced at the end of the 20th century’s first decade, and by 1926, pump trucks and pallet jacks started to resemble the trucks we know today. Pallets were more prevalent as a way of moving large volumes of goods, and the lifting tables of the older models gave way to forks designed to fit the pallets. The trucks which facilitated higher lifting also made it possible for factories and warehouses to stack pallets vertically when not in use and dramatically improve the efficiency of their storage systems.

World War II during the 1940s saw pallets become a key component of logistics strategies across the world; rationing food, supplying aid and even transporting equipment for soldiers. This urgent demand for even more efficiency saw developments in the pallets themselves, such as four-way entry, which in turn saw more developments in the uses of pallet trucks. Once the war was over, the progress that had been made in the crafting and honing of hand pallet truck models filtered down from military use into commerce and allowed factories and warehouses to become even more efficient than previously.

The progress of pallets and pallet trucks since then has been steady, with general admission from experts that certain approaches and methods will increase efficiency tenfold. However, one of the globe’s largest companies, Costco, threw a spanner into the works last year, shaking up the pallet world with the announcement that they would be shifting to ‘block pallets’. These types of pallets were essentially an improvement on the four-way pallets invented by a Navy Seal during WWII; rather than the pallet deckboards resting on ‘stringers’, they rest on sturdy blocks instead. Costco unload a million trucks every year, and a common complaint was that with the old four-way pallets, warehouse workers couldn’t fit the forks of their pallet jack into the pallet if they were facing the wrong side. The switch to ‘block pallets’ made it easier for their pallet trucks to function and illustrates that the world of manual handling and pallet trucks is always changing and evolving to produce the best results.

Short-Term Vs Long-Term Approach to Pallet Truck Purchase

Over the busy Christmas season, many businesses find that they are swamped with more orders than they expected, and have to take emergency precautions to ensure that they are prepared for the onslaught. For those working in environments like warehouses, factories and distribution centres, pallet trucks are an integral part of every working process, and if the number of trucks is falling short, it can be tempting for managers to simply rent one on a temporary basis or buy a second-hand truck. However, this approach is fraught with risk, and could result in a company either spending more money than they intended, or receiving faulty or malfunctioning apparatus that won’t serve their purpose.

 

International research company, RedShift, found that around 10% of the hand pallet trucks used in warehouses across Europe are rental trucks, with many of these brought in to cover emergency surges in business. But what many companies fail to realise is that, if there is a chance that they might be short of equipment at any point in the year, the most cost-effective solution is simply to invest in extra trucks, rather than bring in second-rate ones when there is more work to be done.

 

Renting extra trucks with specialist ability such as high lift pallet trucks or weighing scale pallet trucks every single Christmas or busy season is a drain on budgets and resources; it may seem like a budget-friendly choice at first, but when bringing in new temporary equipment on a regular basis, the cost can soon mount.  This money could be sensibly invested into a high-quality truck which will last for many years to come. They can easily be placed into storage when they are surplus to requirements and they are resistant to rust and corrosion, so they will be as good as new when they are brought out once more.

 

There is also the issue of quality control when acquiring pump trucks on a rental basis. The vast majority of trucks which are leased to businesses will be in working order enough for them to perform basic functions, but they may have any number of faults which haven’t been picked up on. This can not only slow down working processes as staff learn to contend with the truck’s defects, it can also compromise staff safety. Renting a pallet truck might seem like a cheap and effective short-term option, but businesses should always be looking to the long term effects of their decisions.