Forklifts are incredibly versatile pieces of material handling machinery, even without additional fork attachments. Many industries are still able to operate without investing in extra equipment for their machines.
However, they may find that operations aren’t as efficient or as productive as they could be. In order to ensure effective use of your forklift fleet, it would be highly beneficial to invest in quality forklift attachments that have been made to an exceptional standard.
In fact, with the appropriate forklift attachments, they’ll quickly become paramount to the way in which your business runs and how your employees carry out their work. You’ll find that certain tasks will take a fraction of the time they used to prior to the implementation of a forklift. You may even find it impossible to lift, carry and load stock without the right attachment for certain applications.
There are many different forklift attachments available that’ll help to reduce damage to goods and personal injury incidents. You’ll also see a reduction in operations that have been poorly planned or organised, as the attachments available have the ability to increase efficiency all round – another reason why it’s absolutely vital that you select the right one for the work you’ll be carrying out on a regular basis.
As such, we’ve presented you with an ultimate guide to forklift attachments, so you can be absolutely sure that you’re opting for the most appropriate forklift attachment to ensure operations continue to run as smoothly as possible.
Sideshifters
A sideshifter is one of the most common forklift attachments in the industry. One of the reasons why it’s such a popular addition to a forklift is because it effortlessly allows loads to be moved safely from side to side. As well as that, the forklift operator will also be able to make small, meticulous and highly accurate adjustments to the alignment of the pallet the forklift is transporting, all without manoeuvring the forklift as a whole.
What are the benefits of a sideshifter forklift attachment?
- Less fuel will be used
- Pallets can be loaded up and transported faster
- The likelihood of a pallet or the load being damaged is minimal
- You’ll be able to make the most of the space your warehouse has available
- Can be used in if the aisles are narrow
Which industries would benefit most from a sideshifter?
- Paper handling
- Food and beverage
- Agriculture
- Construction
Fork positioners
Fork positioners actually allow the forks to be hydraulically positioned. This would be incredibly useful for situations where the width of the load changes on a regular basis. Essentially, fork positioners allow the forklift operator to quickly and efficiently align the forks with the pallet for effective handling.
What are the benefits of a fork positioner attachment?
- Improves productivity throughout the warehouse
- No need for forks to be manually positioned or adjusted
- Reduced chance that pallets will become damaged
- Loads can be transported quickly and efficiently
Which industries would benefit most from a fork positioner?
- Warehousing
- Distribution centres
- Pharmaceutical
- Food manufacturing
Paper clamps
Specifically used in the paper industries, paper clamps allow handling operations to be efficiently carried out, in a timely manner, all without damaging the roll. Unsurprisingly, this particular attachment was specifically designed with effectiveness and overall productivity in mind. Therefore, paper clamps are suitable for a wide range of different machines, making them even more versatile and effective.
What are the benefits of paper clamp forklift attachments?
- Keeps damage to rolls to a minimum
- More efficient and improved handling times
- Has 180°-360° rotation capabilities
- Damage reduction systems widely available
Which industries would benefit most from a paper clamp
- Paper factories
Push/pull attachments
Push/pull attachments allow traditional wooden or plastic pallets to be substituted for a cost-effective, inexpensive slip sheet. This will then allow an increased shipping volume, which in turn, improves efficiency. These attachments can be simply clipped onto a conventional forklift for versatility, and then once they’ve been used, they can be taken off as easily as they went on, helping to save time.
What are the benefits of push/pull forklift attachments?
- Can be clipped on and removed easily
- Forks themselves do not need to be removed
- Slip sheets allows for easy handling of goods
- Packaging weight is reduced
- Fork mounted units are available for absolute efficiency and effectiveness
Which industries would benefit most from push/pull attachments?
- Food and beverage
- Bagged goods
Multiple pallet handlers
These attachments can be used to handle a single pallet efficiently. Forks can be hydraulically spread in order to lift, carry and even side-shift a number of pallets side by side. This attachment can also be used in narrow aisles, making it an even more versatile piece of equipment. This also means that fewer trips will need to be taken in order to get certain jobs done, leading to an increase in productivity.
What are the benefits of multiple pallet handlers?
- Handling capacity of pallets will double
- Loading and unloading times will be reduced
- The amount of truck manoeuvres required to carry out a task will be minimal
Which industries would benefit most from multiple pallet handlers?
- Warehouse
- Brewing
- Bottling
- Shipping
Rotators
Allowing forks to rotate 360° in a smooth motion, the forklift attachment is one of the most useful pieces of equipment available. It allows for loads to be lifted, transported and unloaded as efficiently and as productive as possible. As such, this particular attachment is best used for inverting and dumping goods.
What are the benefits of rotator forklift attachments?
- Loads can be inverted and unloaded quickly
- Forks will be returned to the upright position in one continuous, swift motion
Which industries would benefit most from multiple pallet handlers?
- Waste management
- Recycling
- Agriculture
- Food and beverage
Hire Forklifts are proud to be able to offer customers transparent, reputable and reliable forklift hire services when you need it most. As well as forklifts, you’ll also be able to rent reach trucks, pallet trucks, order pickers and more, all from a wide range of some of the most renowned manufacturers in the industry. For more information about how we can help you today, whether you need long or short term hire of a specialist warehouse machine, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always happy to help.
