As more companies and warehouses look to increase productivity, improve safety standards and reduce operating costs, more resources are being invested in the advancement of pallet truck technology. More business owners and managers are always looking for efficient and cost-effective solutions which have led to a technological boom in the pallet truck industry. Here is a look at what the future of pallet truck design will hold.
Problem-solving solutions
The need to improve efficiency and reduce the risk of errors will drive forward innovation over the coming years. Warehouse managers and business owners will be looking for creative solutions and innovative pallet truck designs that will tackle common problems. For example, placement errors happen regularly during the batch picking process, often wasting time and costing money to rectify. A recent innovation came in the form of LEDs on pallet trucks which allowed the correct location to be easily identified.
Safety features
Maintaining high safety standards is a growing concern for companies and warehouses throughout all industries. Accidents in the workplace can halt progress, damage company image and result in heavy costs. For this reason, more companies will be looking for alternative pallet truck designs that reduce risk. Improved safety features, increased functionality and more responsive handling are some of the design features that will be integrated into pallet truck design over the next few years.
Ergonomic designs
More focus is being put on creating pallet truck designs that address ergonomics and the effects of long-term use. These types of innovations will revolve around the interaction between pallet trucks and their operators by focusing on handling, usability and shape as opposed to the technological aspects of the pallet truck. Designers will be looking to create multi-faceted design solutions such as ergonomically-friendly handles that will address a range of issues.
New technology
As the industry moves forward, pallet truck design will integrate the latest technologies to improve efficiency and create practical solutions to common problems. There has been a lot of interest in the development of autonomous driving technology and how it can be applied to pallet truck design. AGVs are already being used in warehouses around the world but the design features used are expected to reach a new level over the coming years. The integration of modern technologies into pallet truck design will bring with it a lot more opportunities.