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What can Cat® forklifts do for you?
Cat® Lift Trucks offers a comprehensive range of products and services for warehousing and third-party logistics businesses. Our deep expertise, and that of our dealerships, is based many years of experience in this sector. We never cease to develop and improve our lift trucks to meet your needs. Meanwhile, our dealers’ practical understanding of your challenges ensures the ideal choice of model and specification for each application.
Our advice is aimed both at third-party logistics (3PL) companies and at manufacturers and retailers who manage their own warehouses. Today, we see businesses increasingly outsourcing their logistics processes entirely to 3PLs. This includes their warehousing operations. The highly specialised warehouse knowledge and facilities of 3PLs complements our materials handling leadership, making us perfect partners.
Some warehouses are designed and operated to handle specific categories of materials or goods. Depending on your business sector, you might find other guides in our Industry Solutions series useful. For instance, we have one on Food and Beverage.
Cat® counterbalance and warehouse trucks can be found:
- Taking materials and products into and out of goods vehicles
- Transporting them horizontally from place to place in warehouses and distribution centres – including cross-docking
- Stacking and retrieving palletised loads
- Picking individual items to fulfil orders
Warehousing and third-party logistics industry challenges
Warehouse capacity
Rapid growth in warehousing and 3PL activity means that many warehouses are running out of space. Extending warehouse buildings or acquiring and moving to new sites is expensive. At the same time, the nature of the goods being handled and stored is changing. There are now huge volumes of small orders, with an expanding variety of items to accommodate – each requiring separate SKUs (stock-keeping units).
Faster logistics
Customers’ expectations of fast delivery have risen, especially with the advent of e-commerce. Goods need to be moved quickly, at every stage. At the same time, that movement should be smooth, stable and collision-free to avoid product damage.
Supply chain interruptions and delays
Accidents can interrupt and slow down productivity. So can downtime due to lift truck breakdowns or maintenance demands. Forklift dependability may be additionally compromised by environmental factors such as moisture, dust and extremely high or low workplace temperatures.
Safe materials handling
Hazards in the warehouse include falling objects, from raised forks or high racking. Loss of forklift or load balance may lead to spilled goods or even truck overturns. There are narrow spaces and tight turns to negotiate, often with restricted vision. Lift truck drivers must also cope with a busy environment in which there’s plenty of scope for collision with pedestrians, trucks, racking and infrastructure.
Employee recruitment and retention
While the demand for warehouse workers increases, as the industry expands, the pool of available employees is shrinking. What can and should be a fulfilling field of employment has sometimes become unattractive due to working conditions, experiences and perceptions. Turnover of skilled staff is high, and recruitment of fresh talent is difficult. For materials handling staff, specifically, the right choice of lift truck is important in optimising comfort, health, safety and job satisfaction.
Ever-changing demands
Warehousing and 3PL companies need to handle an extremely wide variety of goods and tasks. Some applications require highly specialised lift trucks. Others are served by versatile trucks which can take on multiple roles. Seasonal or other fluctuations in the demand for certain goods can make forklift fleet size and composition difficult to manage. Summer or Christmas peaks may also require temporary staff, whose inexperience may bring difficulties.
Pressure for sustainability
Aside from the increasing pressure from legislators to reduce environmental impacts, all businesses are under scrutiny from customers and end consumers. If people are unimpressed with a company’s level of commitment to sustainability, there are many others from which to choose. For materials handling operations, emissions, energy consumption and avoidance of waste are key areas on which to focus.
Rising costs
Increasing volumes of returned goods have added to the many factors which are raising costs in warehousing and 3PL operations. Others include: the rising need and price of warehouse space; late fees due to delayed deliveries; lost productivity through equipment downtime for repair and maintenance; accident-related expenses, including damage, fines and compensation; and energy consumption.
Materials handling solutions from Cat® Lift Trucks
Fuller warehouse space utilisation
Our materials handling solutions enable you to utilise the potential storage space in your warehouses more fully. Their design and functionality allow you to make your racking higher and your aisles narrower.
Consider our compact stand-in stacker and sit-on stackers, for example. These trucks lift higher than platform versions and work in narrower aisles. Their lifting also compares well with that of many reach trucks, but again they can work in narrower aisles. (We also have stand-in and sit-on power pallets for best use of floor space.)
And have you considered the space-saving benefits of double-deep-stacking, with fewer aisles? We have stand-in and sit-on stackers with telescopic forks for this set-up.
Our reach trucks have long been a popular choice for warehouses with high racking. Our range comes with lift heights up to 12.1 metres and capacities up to 2.5 tonnes. For efficient picking at heights up to 12.1 metres, we have efficient high-level order pickers.
We can supply similarly advanced Cat equipment for materials handling in very narrow aisle (VNA) racking systems. Our man-up turret trucks offer industry-leading lift heights (19.0 metres) and capacities (2.0 tonnes). Each is uniquely specified and custom-built to fit your space, load and operator needs precisely. Our man-down VNA trucks combine the storage-maximising efficiency of a turret truck with the freedom and versatility of a reach truck.
Compact design throughout our lift truck range minimises the amount of space you need to leave clear for manoeuvring. Amongst the smallest models are our pedestrian power pallet trucks. Some of these are small and light enough to transport in goods vehicles for delivery of stock to retailers.
Another space-saving approach is to use lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology. This reduces the need to set aside battery storage and maintenance areas. Almost all Cat products offer a choice between Li-ion and lead-acid batteries.
Optimum materials handling speed
As you would expect, all Cat electric counterbalance forklifts and warehouse trucks are equipped with powerful motors for fast performance. However, high productivity requires much more than high top speeds. You need to avoid spills and accidents, by working at the optimum speed for each situation. Achieving this depends on maximising ergonomics, vision, manoeuvrability, precision and control.
On our 1.4 to 5.5 tonne electric counterbalance forklifts, for instance, drivers benefit from the Responsive Drive System (RDS). Its functioning ensures that all travel and hydraulic actions are smoothly controlled. Advanced cornering control systems help further in optimum matching of speed to circumstances. Then there are hydraulic technologies which optimise mast and fork movements according to load weights and lift heights.
For precise agility, these trucks also feature a four-wheel steering system with a +100⁰ rear turning axle. They can make instant side turns with no need for initial backward movement. Alternatively, on our Cat 3-wheel electrics, optional 360⁰ steering enables fluid turns without changing direction. It also allows faster turning without destabilising the load.
Our warehouse trucks are similarly engineered and designed for fast but controlled performance. Cat power pallet trucks and stackers come in pedestrian, platform, stand-in and sit-on ranges, with a wide variety of specifications to suit different applications. They include platform double pallet handlers, with which you can double your rate of load movement. Quite simply, they carry two pallet loads at a time, one above the other, without any increase in combined truck and load width or length.
Cat stand-in pallets and sit-on power pallets, stand-in stackers and sit-on stackers, offer an interesting upgrade from platform models. Operators can work faster and more confidently, thanks to advanced drive, steering and stability systems, more compact dimensions and greater operator enclosure and protection. Their features include automatic cornering control and optional 360⁰ steering.
Our reach trucks also feature advanced drive, cornering and hydraulic control systems which maintain optimum speed and smoothness in all motion. There is also the option of 360⁰ steering.
For quick, efficient and accurate picking of items to fulfil multiple small orders, you may need order pickers at different levels. We cover all applications with our low-level/second-level and medium-level/high-level ranges. Their ergonomic features and precisely controlled performance help to maximise operators’ productivity.
To complete our warehouse equipment line-up, we have Cat tow trucks. These offer a simple but quick and effective way of transporting loads by pulling trailers. A total of up to 5.0 tonnes can be moved in this way.
Where needed, specialised suppliers can fit our lift trucks with mast attachments for fast handling of certain materials and load types. Clamps, rotators and carpet poles are just a few examples.
Non-stop forklift action
For maximum productivity, you need your forklift fleet to be constantly available for work. Cat lift trucks are famously durable and reliable, which means you are less likely to suffer downtime through breakdowns.
In both counterbalance and warehouse products, we seal key components against water, dust and dirt. We also engineer and design our systems for reliable temperature control in all conditions. Additional protection can be optionally specified for those used in cold stores.
Our trucks are designed for easy and quick maintenance, so they will spend little time in the service bay. Importantly, our dealers can provide complete forklift supply and maintenance packages, giving you confidence of non-stop productivity. With our support, you needn’t worry about forklift-related downtime.
Battery changing and charging is another activity which can take trucks out of service. By choosing Li-ion batteries, with fast opportunity charging, you have the possibility of keeping them in constant action.
Meanwhile, the speed control and safety technology of our lift trucks reduces the likelihood of accidents. This is another welcome contribution to minimising downtime.
Safer lift truck activity
Effective overhead guards (OHGs), providing protection from falling goods, are an essential in many lift truck categories. Our OHG designs ensure that operators still have clear upward vision, which is another safety prerequisite when handling loads at height.
For an even clearer view, we offer transparent polycarbonate OHG roof options. These apply to our 1.6 to 2.5 tonne reach trucks, including four-way reach truck models, and 1.4 to 5.5 tonne electric counterbalance forklifts. Tested to the same rigorous standards as our standard OHG roofs with bars, they prevent both large and small falling objects from hitting the driver.
Good all-round visibility is fundamental to safe operation. So are accurate, ergonomic control and manoeuvrability. We design and build these factors into all our trucks. As already described, we use electronic technology to prevent excessive speed and loss of balance during travel and load handling.
You will find many automated safe speed aids throughout our product range. Examples include automatic slowdown and/or precise stopping at aisle ends in our man-up turret trucks and man-down VNA trucks. In this case, braking behaviour can be varied between zones.
Safety lighting options on our electric counterbalance forklifts help to keep pedestrians separate from moving trucks. Red or blue point lights warn of a truck’s approach, while red lines highlight an exclusion boundary around the truck.
Happier staff
Cat lift trucks are designed to make work satisfying and enjoyable, as well as productive. As leaders in the field of ergonomics and optimised user experience, we place operators and their needs at the centre of our product development. We protect them from discomfort and ill-health due to fatigue, strain, vibration and noise. Our quiet, smooth-running lift trucks also contribute to a more pleasant working environment for other warehouse workers.
Take our electric counterbalance forklifts, for instance. Drivers can expect comfortable, spacious operating compartments, user-friendly controls, and easy entry and exit. Ride quality is smooth and silent, with low vibration levels. If you need them, we can add high-comfort cabin options with heating and/or air conditioning.
When it comes to forklift ergonomics, our 1.6 to 2.5 tonne reach trucks set an unbeatable standard. They’re ideal for workers who spend long hours in the driving seat. The tilting seat, the right and left armrests, and even the floor height are adjustable to fit each user perfectly. Palm Steering, mounted on the left armrest, allows manoeuvring with minimal effort or movement, from a relaxed body position. A multifunctional joystick, mounted on the other armrest, is similarly ergonomic. It can be optionally replaced by a fingertip control unit.
Whether they’re operating the largest or smallest of materials handling machines, we have every operator’s needs covered. For example, our tiller-operated warehouse trucks, including pedestrian and platform power pallets and stackers, all feature the class-leading, patented, ergonomic emPower tiller head.
On our platform power pallet trucks and stackers, we build high-comfort vibration damping into the platforms. Fixed platform models also offer the option of electrically adjusting the damping according to the operator’s weight. Our platform power pallets also feature the revolutionary ProRide+ system, which enhances damping and much more.
Optimised fleet size and use
Our lift trucks are highly adaptable, allowing you to reduce fleet size by applying each truck to more than one role. Perhaps the ultimate illustrations of this are our stand-in and sit-on stackers with telescopic forks. They're probably the most versatile trucks in the entire market. Although primarily aimed at users with double-deep racking set-ups, they can do much more besides. They can act as reach trucks, straddle stackers, pallet trucks, order pickers and more. Their telescopic forks are also great for: handling long loads; stretching into goods vehicles, or across lorry cargo areas, to pick up hard-to-reach loads; and loading goods into near and far positions from the side of a vehicle.
Other examples include our man-down VNA trucks. As well as load stacking and retrieval within the aisles, they can take care of transport to and from the racking.
Of course, we also have specialised lift truck categories and equipment specifications dedicated to particular tasks. Our four-way reach trucks, for instance, are ideal for handling exceptionally long loads in narrow aisles. However, thanks to their special hydraulic fork spreader, they can also carry smaller loads including standard pallets.
When you need to take on seasonal materials handling staff, use of lift trucks by relatively inexperienced operators can be a worry. In that situation, our user-friendly and intuitive controls are of great benefit. Use of the emPower tiller head on our pedestrian and platform power pallets and stackers is especially easy to learn.
Adjusting the size of your fleet to match seasonal peaks is another issue. Our dealers’ solutions to this include short-term hire of extra trucks. They can also take on the management and right-sizing of your fleet to make sure you always have exactly what you need.
Planet-friendly business
Our electric counterbalance and warehouse trucks will shrink your carbon footprint with their high energy efficiency and zero tailpipe emissions. You can choose Li-ion batteries and select ECO operating modes or programmes for even greater efficiency. We contribute further to sustainability through the durability of our lift trucks and their components. It means less frequent replacement of trucks and worn parts, and therefore less energy and material consumption in manufacture.
Lower total cost of operation
Our lift trucks will reduce your total cost of operation (TCO) in many ways. They will increase your storage efficiency, so you save on the cost of warehouse space. They will speed up your operation and avoid late fees. Their durability and easy maintenance will cut repair and part replacement costs, as well as related downtime and loss of productivity, and maintain high residual values. Their safety features and precisely controlled operation will minimise accident risks and expenses. In addition, a combination of truck versatility and dealer support will avoid oversizing of your fleet. Last but not least, you will benefit from improved energy efficiency.
Constant support from Cat lift truck dealers
Wherever you are, our dealers are ready and fully equipped to support you. Their deep understanding will ensure the perfect choice and combination of lift trucks for your application. What’s more, their mobile engineers will keep them working at peak performance through expert routine preventative maintenance and rapid response to any emergency. They have access to the fastest parts supply operation in the business.
One of the many advantages of Cat solutions is our common component strategy. High levels of component sharing between ranges maximise parts availability. This means much higher first-time fix rates, less downtime and lower related costs. By cutting the number of service-related journeys, we also shrink your carbon footprint even further.
Together, we and our dealers will ensure you have everything you need. Choose Cat forklifts and services for productive, efficient and cost-effective materials handling in the warehousing and 3PL industry.
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