Electric pallet jacks are essential equipment in many material handling and warehousing businesses. Also called powered pallet trucks or electric walkies, these robust and effective machines offer various advantages in terms of safety, accuracy, and cost savings. They significantly improve the pace and efficiency of material handling jobs. Due to their simplicity and versatility, automated pallet jacks have become a crucial part of contemporary supply chain management and logistics.
Here are some benefits of using electric pallet jacks and some of their most common applications and best usage practices:
Cost Saving
Due to their lower maintenance needs and longer lifespan compared to other pallet jacks, powered pallet jacks seem a more affordable alternative in the long term. These machines can handle most tasks handled by forklifts. Maintaining electric or LPG forklifts has proven more expensive than powered pallet trucks.
Improved Safety
Powered pallet jacks have features like load sensors, built-in alarms, and automatic braking that can help prevent accidents and injuries. Most warehouse work has become automated, and the jacks have more ergonomic features for smoother and safer handling and improved operational efficiency.
Space Saving
Powered pallet trucks are the ideal choice when dealing with limited or maximising available space. This material handling equipment has a smaller turning radius, giving them easy manoeuvrability in smaller spaces. Using such a pallet truck will make moving around easy and avoid accidents and damage from knocking over goods.
Better Productivity
Warehouses or material handling companies that deal with heavy workloads daily can benefit from using the power pallet jacks. Their motorised engines make it easy to cover more ground or lots of distance in a short time. This equipment has simple, easy-to-use controls, making them easy to operate. All these will translate to more efficiency and improve productivity in the warehouse in the long run.
Increased Efficiency
Electric pallet jacks allow faster and easier movement of materials for increased productivity and efficiency in a warehouse or other materials-handling environment. These equipment come in different specifications and lifting capacities, making it easy to choose which meets your warehouse needs.
Increased Accuracy
Some powered pallet jacks have advanced features such as RFID scanners and GPS tracking to help improve inventory accuracy and tracking. They also have better visibility. Picking loads becomes easy as the operator gets a better view to monitor their paths and be wary of obstacles or fellow workers.
Applications Of Electric Pallet Jacks
Powered pallet jacks have numerous applications. When there is the need to transport goods horizontally, these are the best pieces of equipment to get. They are also the best choice for the preparation of loads for outbound shipping and inventory management. They are also ideal for organising staging racks and areas. Industries relying heavily on powered pallet jacks include the following:
- The manufacturing industry for moving raw materials in and manufactured goods out.
- Warehousing industry for handling different types of goods and inventory management.
- Beverage industry.
- Food storage industry.
- Cold storage.
- Retail industry.
Best Practices For Powered Pallet Jacks
Some best practices for using electric pallet jacks include the following:
- Following proper operating procedures
- Training operators and warehouse workers on the right way of handling the equipment
- Maintaining the equipment regularly
- Always ensuring the load is centred and stable
- Ensuring to stop completely before lowering the load
- Using the equipment only for its intended purpose
- Ensuring all the operational controls are working before using the equipment
- Maintaining the load limits
- Avoiding sudden changes in direction or movements
- Never making adjustments to the forks of thepallet truck when the equipment is in operation
- Always staying within the recommended speed limits. Stopping at the set destination.
Powered pallet jacks are simple yet essential equipment for warehouse heavy loads. They help take manual work from the operation by improving efficiency, safety, and productivity. Before investing in one, ensure you understand your warehouse needs and give the operators the right equipment handling training, including the best practices to keep the equipment in good shape and have it serve you for longer without breakdown. Keeping up with regular maintenance is also crucial.
