Want to get the most from high-lift forklifts like order pickers, turret trucks, and reach trucks? Here are a few considerations to keep in mind, along with some productivity-boosting tips from the manufacturers.

Getting the full benefit of warehouses and DCs with narrow aisles and reach-for-the-sky racks requires equipment that’s specifically designed for that environment. Examples include reach and stacker trucks, which keep the operator on the ground while the forks and mast rise to the required height for pallet putaway and retrieval; order pickers and turret trucks, which lift the operator into the racks for case or piece picking; and articulated very-narrow-aisle (VNA) trucks, which have front steering assemblies that pivot in either direction.

How high this equipment can go depends on the type of truck and the application, but the lift truck makers we spoke with for this story offer forklifts with mast heights ranging from 17.5 feet to 59 feet. Several said that customers are asking them to design trucks that can reach even higher.

Height has a big impact on lift trucks’ design and performance, of course. Accordingly, there are several considerations warehouse and DC operators should be aware of if they want to get the most productivity from their tall trucks.

Read the full article in DC Velocity here.