Bison Building Materials' lift trucks were struggling to handle the company's engineered wood products. Operators had to move 4,000-pound loads measuring 60 to 66 feet long from an outdoor storage area into a production facility with 20-foot wide doors.

Bison installed two narrow-aisle, long-load handling, multi-directional lift trucks at its Houston and Dallas facilities to handle the difficult task. And it's seen many production improvements as a result.

It now takes only three to five minutes to move the heavy wood components into the production area for final fabrication steps. The process used to take 10 to 15 minutes plus the time it took for nearly five workers to help steer the product in.

"With the [new lift truck], it brings in the load with one worker and puts it exactly where I want it…and I don't have to shut down my saw lines," Bison manager Tod Henderson says.

The truck's multi-directional steering ability allows it to approach loads at a perpendicular angle then turn its wheels 90 degrees to transport the long loads through narrow doorways. The trucks are also equipped with a quick-disconnect spreader bar and 24-foot wide forks to handle the long loads.

In addition, a propane-fueled engine allows the lift truck to operate indoors with minimal emissions. The truck's all-wheel hydrostatic drive and steering make it maneuverable on rough terrain outside as well.

"It is not an inexpensive unit, but their efficiencies are definitely worth it," Henderson explains.