Lift trucks: Nimble lift trucks in the warehouse and on the road
Walkies offer safe operation in tight spaces, integrated battery chargers.
Mid Valley Foods provides custom-tailored food distribution solutions to clients and retailers across central California. As the company’s customer base grew, so did the demands for its operation, including a need for a new, larger facility and a reliable fleet of forklifts.
The old facility used an aging fleet of pallet trucks from three brands, many of which tended to tip on quick turns, gouging the warehouse floors and damaging product.
In 2011, a new 25,000-square-foot warehouse and freezer facility tripled the operational capacity of the business. The nine new walkie trucks feature excellent side stability with an optional caster system, which allows heavy loads to be moved quickly without tipping or wobbling. In picking alone, the company has seen a 20% boost in efficiency due to increased operator confidence.
After observing the trucks’s stability in the warehouse, the company began using the trucks inside delivery trailers. The chassis design features a short battery compartment and a condensed drive unit, allowing the forklift to maneuver in extremely confined spaces.
“The reliability, stability and maneuverability to move our products around in small spaces, like our warehouse aisles, were the features that really sold us,” said Cheri Casey, co-owner of Mid-Valley Foods. “But when we realized the trucks could be used during deliveries and inside delivery trailers, it was a game-changer.”
The walkies also provide stepless speed control by the drive switch and features roll-back protection on ramps. The forklift crawl speed can also be activated with a separate handle switch, a benefit for maneuvering in confined spaces.
The trucks include an integrated battery charger, which gives drivers flexibility in the field and preserves space inside the warehouse. In the two years since adding the pallet trucks to its fleet, Mid Valley has experienced zero downtime with drivers out in the field, and the pallet trucks have needed only minor, preventative maintenance.
Jungheinrich
877-543-6757
http://www.jungheinrich-lift.com
