Increase storage density with Cat® telescopic fork stackers

Would you like to make fuller use of your warehouse space? Without making a major investment in highly specialised VNA (very narrow aisle) equipment?

Cat® Lift Trucks and its dealers can provide any level of sophistication, including VNA. But there’s an alternative cost-efficient option you could consider.

This alternative is relatively quick and simple to introduce - double-deep racking.

You can switch to this approach by:

• Swapping your current stacking and retrieval warehouse trucks for Cat® stand-in or sit-on stackers with telescopic forks
• Rearranging your pallet racking so there are four pallet depths, instead of two, between each aisle
• In this way, halving the number of aisles
• Using telescopic forks to reach into the racking, from each aisle, to stack and retrieve loads at two pallet depths

Greater warehouse capacity – lower costs

Double-deep storage can immediately increase the capacity of your warehouse by around 30%. That creates scope for increased income. Alternatively, you can use the improved space efficiency to store the same amount of goods in a smaller building. In a typical scenario, that could reduce your warehouse rental costs by around 23%.

As you look more deeply into the capabilities of Cat telescopic fork stackers, you will find further efficiencies. For instance, their extensive choice of triplex masts will allow you to maximise utilisation of your vertical space. Thanks to their low-profile straddle legs, minimal space is wasted under the bottom racking beam. They also offer excellent load deration performance, so you can store heavier loads at each level.

For a perfect fit with your racking structure, loads and applications, we offer specification choices and customisations. These include different maximum lift heights and different widths between support legs, for instance. We also have a wide range of optional features to meet your specific needs.

Save time on materials handling – as well as space

Even without telescopic forks, Cat stand-in stackers and sit-on stackers enable increased storage density. Fundamentally, their compact footprint – compared to reach trucks and platform stackers – allows you to make your aisles narrower. What’s more, they are designed for high productivity in those narrow aisles. Contained and protected within robust truck structures, operators can work quickly and confidently. Inbuilt automated aids optimise speeds and minimise accident and damage risks. Every action is fast and smooth.

Small time gains soon add up to substantial savings in highly repetitive warehouse processes. On the telescopic fork models, precise, speed-regulated control of fork extension and retraction is key. Whether moving the forks at super-fast speeds or making small adjustments at creep speeds, accuracy is assured. Operators feel confident, safe and satisfied.

Other time-saving features include:

• Support leg design providing enhanced drive-in and ground clearance, gradient performance and smooth motion
• Fork shape enabling easy and fast pallet entry and exit, even while turning
• Stepless, speed-regulated hydraulic motor ensuring quick but safe and accurate fork positioning

The most versatile warehouse trucks ever?

Another great advantage of Cat telescopic fork stackers is that they can do much more than just serve your double-deep storage needs. In fact, they’re probably the most versatile trucks in the entire market.

Here are just a few of their possibilities:

• Handling long loads
• Stretching into goods vehicles, or across lorry cargo areas, to pick up hard-to-reach loads
• Loading goods into near and far positions from the side of a vehicle
• Fulfilling the roles of reach trucks, straddle stackers, pallet trucks, order pickers and more
• Long-distance transport
• Handling closed-base pallets and other load carriers without open fork spaces or pockets
• Outside the racking, placing pallets directly onto the floor and lifting them from there
• Using their wide range of optional features to adapt to many other applications

Is double-deep storage right for you?

Does double-deep storage sound like the right solution for you? Our dealers will be very happy to advise. As in all our consultations, they will assess your application and challenges before making recommendations. Our first aim is to work out the optimum materials handling method to meet your needs. After that, we can identify the best machine type and specification to do the job. It might be double-deep racking with telescopic fork stackers. Alternatively, it might be a VNA system or conventional pallet racking. Either way, you can rely on us for impartial, customer-focused advice.