Lift Trucks: Narrow aisle lift trucks double productivity

Continental/Midland produces fasteners for manufacturing applications, including automotive, household appliances and a variety of other applications. Located in Park Forest, Ill., its 100,000-square-foot warehouse uses forklifts over multiple shifts, six days a week. The company deployed a new forklift enabling faster order picking and compatibility with narrow aisle applications.

Operators were using man-down trucks, requiring them to handle products twice to pull product from the racks, fill orders and replace the unused product. This led to reduced productivity and the increased risk of handling damage.

Three new very narrow aisle turret stockpickers feature three-wheel design, high visibility and an ergonomic seat with swivel, backrest and cushioned armrests. The equipment increased productivity by allowing operators to touch the product only once and move product twice as fast.

“Our biggest concern was how narrow our aisles were. We wanted to make sure the equipment would be able to deal with our small space,” says Ken Breiner, warehouse manager. “We found the right product to fit our small space, and being able to pivot large pieces of equipment to get our freight down and ready for market has been huge.”

Breiner adds that the operators appreciate the comfort in tight spaces, whereas previously “they had to turn their heads each time and look 25 feet in the air to see what they were moving. We have grown as a business to around $50 million in sales and through that growth we have not had to add additional personnel because of the use of this equipment.”

Crown Equipment
419-629-2311
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