When you need to expand your warehouse operations and storage capacity but don't have the space necessary to add more shelving, a turret truck may be the solution. While traditional forklifts are sufficient for standard 12-foot aisles, a turret forklift can operate efficiently and effectively in narrower aisles and working spaces. Certified operators use these trucks to access both sides of the aisle, maximizing cube utilization with top-notch capacity, travel speed, capacity, and height.
While pallet jacks and forklifts are standard options for lifting heavy loads, warehouses with tall, narrow aisles require a different approach. A turret forklift, or very narrow aisle lift truck, provides the same essential functions with added benefits:
These features are designed to increase your ability to stack pallets on high shelves or store heavy items in unusual locations. VNAs let operators work more quickly and safely in tight warehouse spaces.
VNAs are battery-operated, using both the operator compartment and the engine as a counterweight for heavy loads. The counterbalanced design of the truck allows for greater lift capacity, and the advanced maneuverability provides better speed and stopping ability.
The trucks are available in two forms: man-up, where the lift raises both carriage and operator to pick orders, and man-down, where the operator remains down. Both turret truck versions require a two-hand operation to ensure operators' hands remain within the carriage while in operation. Emergency descent, another safety feature, automatically lowers the operator to the ground if the truck is disabled while the mast is up.
OSHA classifies VNAs as Lift Code 4, one of several types of Class II: Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Truck. VNAs retrieve pallets quickly and manage storage capacity efficiently by allowing more racking and additional pick locations. Their rotation and full traversing abilities allow you to pick pallets at right angles to the truck, even in aisles with little clearance.
A turret forklift is best for industries that need large storage spaces with narrow aisles, such as e-commerce grocery and foods, furniture warehouses, auto parts distributors, and pharmacy and health warehouses. Using a VNA means you can reduce your aisle widths by up to 50%, which means you can grow your inventory without increasing your warehouse footprint.
When ready to accommodate your growing warehouse business, don't waste time and money purchasing new buildings or extending to your existing ones. Instead, use the space you have more efficiently by adding more aisles. With the help of a turret truck, your operators can retrieve inventory and stack pallets faster than ever. At Forklift Inventory, we can help you compare prices on new or used turret forklifts so you and your team can get back to building your business.
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