Wednesday, August 5, 2015

New Entry Level Articulated Fork Lift Truck Targeted at More Than Freight Customers

Ability to Work In or Out of Warehouse Yet Function in Tight Aisles
Shipping News Feature

UK – In a bid to appeal to a wider range of customers very narrow aisle (VNA) equipment manufacturers Flexi Narrow Aisle, which produces a range of articulated fork lift trucks specifically designed for use in cramped conditions, has introduced a low cost, entry-level Flexi Ac model, the NANO, specifically designed for customers in the high street and SME sector, as opposed to the usual large warehouse, freight based clientele the company serves.

The aim is to save companies money on their light- to medium-duty storage and handling applications by using a truck that can work in 1.6 metre wide aisles and operate both inside and outside the warehouse, whilst capable of lifting loads up to 1.6 tonnes to a height of 5 metres.

The Flexi Ac NANO benefits from a high voltage heavy-duty battery system with convenient on-board charging while the use of highly efficient standard components, but with a lower capacity than those offered in other high performance Flexi variants, allowing the NANO’s build costs to be minimised. With Flexi’s standard front wheel drive technology the truck can articulate to 220 degrees, making it possible to pick and put away pallets in the narrowest aisleways, a feat which the company points out will save many warehouse operators at least 30% of their storage costs.

The ability to work both within and outside the warehouse means many SME’s can get by with just one truck whilst benefitting from the extra space created by narrow traffic lanes between the racks, another direct saving which could potentially cut materials handling equipment costs by 50%. John Maguire, sales and marketing director of Flexi Narrow Aisle commented:

“With the new entry-level Flexi Ac NANO, we are offering a cost effective alternative to the high performance Flexi models that are available. The NANO is perfect for those companies that do not operate around the clock or demand a high level of handling performance but would still like to take advantage of the space and materials handling cost savings that Flexi articulated truck technology offers.”