Harris Printing Company has made a name for itself in West End, N.C. by being dependable and responsive to customer needs. Printing nearly anything from brochures to posters to catalogs, Harris has seen its business expand into a mid-size company and currently operates out of three facilities.

At the same time, continued growth also strained warehouse space. However, the company was not interested in relocating or adding warehouse space.

To accomplish that, the company turned to narrow aisle storage that increases capacity by 50%. Man-euvering down the narrow aisles called for new lift trucks as well. The solution was an articulated lift truck design that maneuvers easily within the seven-foot aisles.

"The people who were operating our lift trucks were a little apprehensive in the beginning," says president and CEO Ricky Harris. "However, after working a week with the lift truck manufacturer, it was certainly a different story. Visibility is great, and it is really easy to learn to operate and maneuver in the narrow aisles."

The lift trucks handle a range of loads including heavy and bulky paper rolls. A three-way catalytic converter for the propane-powered truck trims emissions and complies with EPA regulations for indoor use.

"The machine has been extremely reliable, without any mechanical problems," Harris says.