Pallet trucks, or pump trucks as they are alternatively known, save a wide range of companies precious man hours and labour in the movement and storage of their loaded pallets, allowing employees to spend more time on their core responsibilities. Indeed, pump trucks have long been renowned as a more cost-effective, user-friendly and versatile alternative to comparable equipment like forklifts.
Today, there is a wide range of pallet trucks to choose from, along with a similarly wide range of reasons why your business may invest in them. But are you aware of some of the developments that have taken place in the world of pallet trucks in recent years that have been designed to continue to boost firms’ efficiency and productivity? Here, we consider just a few of them.
In recent years, pallet trucks have seen continuous improvements in their safety, practicality and durability. Such innovations have included such basic components as the pallet trucks’ wheels, with many models now being fitted with polyurethane wheels that allow for quieter running, better grip and greater protection for delicate floors and smooth surfaces. Many types of pallet trucks and similar pieces of equipment, such as scissor lift tables, also benefit from the latest innovations in heavy duty construction for greater safety and durability and a longer operating life.
For the lifting and transportation of palletised loads at height, manual stackers lift and transport goods quickly, safely and conveniently. They are available with a range of weight and height capabilities.
Alternatively, there are also high lift pallet trucks available which incorporate such features as telescopic jacks and lateral stabilizers. Such pallet trucks may also automatically slow their descending speed for safety to help to prevent any damage to heavy cargo.
Another recent development is the electric pallet truck. Also referred to as powered pallet trucks, these machines come with a range of lift heights and capacities and are motorised so as to make possible the lifting and moving of heavier stacked pallets. It may be possible to move an electric pallet truck by using the throttle on the handle to move forward or reverse. A key safety feature of many electric pallet trucks is the dead man’s switch, which serves the purpose of halting the machine in the event of an emergency, such as if the operator becomes incapacitated.
Another variation on the pallet truck formula is the scissor lift table. These machines are able to lift components to higher areas with the use of a lifting mechanism, with their manoeuvrability making them a particularly strong option for those businesses that lack space in which to stack high shelves.