The wide range of forklifts on the market are all made to uniquely suit your space, workload and budget, with individual designs to help you get the job done, no matter what or where it is. For those with narrow, hard-to-reach spaces, a reach forklift is potentially the best fit.
What is a Reach Forklift?
A reach forklift is designed to do just what it sounds like: reach into tough spots. Most of these lifts can navigate small or narrow spaces, with forks that enable the driver to reach deeply into racking to move and store loads.
There are a number of types of the reach forklift, with the pantograph model being one of the most popular. This equipment uses a scissor design to enable the forks to reach into tight spaces, using a double- or single-reach configuration. Because of its setup, pallets are loaded directly onto the floor when no bar is present on the bottom level; other designs feature a higher bar on the bottom that enables the forklift to move under the racking bar.
Benefits of a Reach Forklift
Once you have a firm understanding of what is a reach forklift, it’s important to consider how the benefits of this design may suit your own workload. Reach trucks have a high lifting capacity, particularly the pantograph model, owing to its double-deep reaching ability. Other types of reach lifts, such as the moving mast, use reach extenders to carry their loads.
Reach forklifts are typically designed with small spaces in mind, which is essential if you work in an environment with narrow aisles. The cab is smaller than on other forklifts, and the driver typically stands to operate the equipment although sometimes there are reach trucks that come with seats. Despite its smaller size, the reaching mechanisms enable the forklift to reach deeply, making it a good fit for high-density storage needs.
It’s vital that any forklift purchase takes into account the particular environment in which it will be used in order to optimize safety. If your work environment could benefit from a lift with a high carrying capacity that can expertly navigate narrow spaces, the reach forklift may be the most sensible option. Contact NFE today to find the perfect used reach forklift for your workspace!
