Reach trucks - short vehicles for narrow shelving aisles
Profile: Primarily indoor use, high-bay shelving systems, mostly electric drive, lift heights to over 14m at up to 2.5t load capacity.
Reach trucks are designed to maneuver in narrow warehouse aisles, and can reach very great heights of up to 14m. They usually have a load capacity between 1t and 2.5t, however there are also reinforced models that handle up to 6t. Reach trucks with diesel drive are available, but electric reach trucks are the most commonly used variant. The unique feature of reach trucks are the lift arms that can be used to push the mast forward and pull it back. The mast extends in a cantilever manner, supported by the lift arms. This allows the reach truck to remain stable even without a counter-weight, meaning the machines can be designed to be much shorter than common high pallet stackers. This shorter design is a major advantage in narrow warehouse aisles. In some reach truck models, the driver’s seat and mast are attached to the side, similar to the design of a side loader. This is an advantage primarily with long and bulky goods.
An important criterion for reach trucks is their feed - the distance by which the mast can be extended forward. This will be between 500mm and 1400mm depending on the model and manufacturer, allowing pallets to be stacked in the second row in some models. In general, as lift height increases, load capacity decreases.
Reach trucks are available both as pedestrian devices, or with a driver’s platform or driver’s seat. The transportation distance and daily length of use will determine which version is most useful in a certain application. Models are also available in which the driver stands, sits or leans while driving, allowing the driver’s cabin to be individually adjusted.
The disadvantages of reach trucks, compared to high pallet stackers, are first their higher acquisition cost and second their slower speed. The small rollers on the lift arms are designed only for very even floors, and wait times are required when stacking at very high heights, to wait for the movement of the mast. In addition, three and four-stage lift masts can restrict the driver’s view significantly.
Reach trucks are used frequently in warehouse logistics and are available from many manufacturers. At Supralift, you can purchase or rent used reach trucks from manufacturers such as Linde, Jungheinrich, STILL, Yale or BT.
