Construction, maintenance, and facility enhancements offer complex needs, especially when they occur in areas that are already in use. Current infrastructure can block access to a needed area. Equipment use of varied sorts can cause task execution headaches. And the people in high traffic environments challenge operators to move carefully to remain productive while remaining unobtrusive, allowing people to use those spaces with little interruption. A vertical mast lift offers one answer to help meet each of these challenges.

What is a Vertical Mast Lift?

Vertical mast lifts are a type of aerial work platform intended to provide access to high reaching tasks while allowing for tight fitting access and a small space footprint. While similar to scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts utilize a multi-stage mast that accommodates a smaller footprint than traditional personnel lifts like scissor lifts. They come equipped with platform extensions that extend beyond the base of the vehicle.

Navigating Existing Infrastructure with a Vertical Mast Lift

Facility designers often pay close attention to the long term maintenance needs of the operation. Sometimes those designers consider what equipment can be used to fulfill those needs. But over the lifetime of any evolving work environment, unexpected infrastructure changes arise – as do unexpected maintenance needs.

A vertical mast lift can help meet high reaching maintenance needs when original or new facility infrastructure can be difficult to navigate. With a width of only 30 inches and a length of four and a half feet, the AICHI Vertical Mast Lift can fit through standard doorways, in between tight racking, or in other spaces obstructed by infrastructure. Have a need to fit between ducts for heating and cooling work or pipes to fix facility plumbing? The platform dimensions of a vertical mast lift are built to access these spaces. And with many models like the AICHI Vertical Mast Lift equipped with zero-degree turn radius, versatility in maneuvering is optimal for tight locations. Has a new rack appeared directly beneath an electrical box you need to access? Position an AICHI Vertical Mast Lift next to the rack and use its 15-inch platform extension to reach over the rack and get to the task.

Integrating Vertical Mast Lifts with Other Equipment

Smart operations managers and construction project managers plan routing of their equipment carefully to make the most use of the space and assist operators in maintaining efficient operation. When maintenance needs arise in areas with high traffic from other equipment, a vertical mast lift’s small footprint can help optimize space. By working close to exterior walls of a facility or on the outside perimeter on a construction site and taking up little space, other industrial equipment can maintain optimal operation and efficiency.

Using Vertical Mast Lifts in Public Places

Maintenance in and around buildings that grant public access is a common need. While proper precautions need to be exercised when performing maintenance around non-facility personnel/operators, vertical mast lifts come equipped with features to assist in the protection of both the operator and passersby. The AICHI Vertical Mast Lift features systems like anti-rollback and lift interlock when a steep grade is detected. Standard pothole protectors and reduced travel speed when elevated also enhance the protection provided to the operators when working at height.

Vertical mast lifts are versatile and offer an excellent solution for accessing difficult to reach areas for maintenance. While they do provide a flexible solution, key considerations such as platform height need and weight requirements must be considered. As these requirements increase, consider investing instead in an AICHI Scissor Lift for increase height and weight capacity with a slightly larger physical footprint.

Original Post:  Mark Faiman, Product Planning Manager, Toyota Material Handling

1.  A History of Excellence and Leadership: Toyota’s forklift division began in 1956 in Japan with the introduction of the first Toyota forklift. Today, Toyota is the world leader in forklift sales.

2.  Safety Innovation: Toyota introduced the world’s first and only System of Active Stability (SAS). The system electronically monitors the forklift’s operations to help reduce the likelihood of both lateral and longitudinal tip-overs.

3.  Technical Innovation: In 2000, Toyota became the first major forklift manufacturer in the United States to offer AC technology to provide high performance and efficiency. The AC motor contains no springs, brushes, commutators or directional contractors, making is virtually maintenance free.

4.  #1 in Quality, Durability, Reliability, Value and Lowest Cost of Ownership: Toyota forklifts are ranked number one in numerous studies conducted by Peerless Research Group.

5.  More Than a Forklift Manufacturer, Toyota is a Full-Line Supplier: In addition to a full line of high-quality forklifts, Toyota offers other industrial equipment products including narrow aisle solutions, walkie stackers, automated guided vehicles (AGV’s) and tow tractors.

Click here to learn more about why you should consider choosing a Toyota forklift from Dillon Toyota Lift.

Toyota’s full line of equipment ranges from the small but sturdy hand pallet truck to the colossal beasts that make up our line of container handlers. Oftentimes, load capacity and application needs will determine the best type of material handling equipment you’ll need. But sometimes the decision may be a bit more subtle.

A Toyota Hand Pallet Truck (HPT) may be exactly what you need to get the job done for smaller applications – but a Toyota Electric Walkie Pallet Jack might work just as well. The load capacities between these two products aren’t much different. The HPT’s capacity weighs in at 5,500 pounds while the Electric Walkie maxes out at 4,500. How do you decide between the two?

Electric Pallet Jack vs. Manual Pallet Jack — Using a Toyota Hand Pallet Truck

While the HPT can lift a higher capacity than the Electric Walkie, heavier loads mean more exertion from the operator, making it better suited for shorter run times and quick material handling jobs. It’s an economical option whose size makes it highly versatile and ergonomic without any of the complexities of electrical wiring or battery maintenance. It’s a great fit for retail, cold storage, and general warehousing industries!

Electric Pallet Jack vs. Manual Pallet Jack — Using a Toyota Electric Walkie

The Electric Walkie takes the strain off the operator, making it ideal for mid-distance runs and ease of operation when working on trailers, dock plates, and ramps or slopes. An electric disc brake comes in handy when working on a grade where you may need to stop, and the anti-rollback system conveniently assists in keeping a load stationary during a transition from braking to moving. The HPT doesn’t have a similar system, meaning that the operator must maintain the stability of the load through physical exertion or sitting the load down. On a grade, the momentum can make this difficult.

A bit bigger than an HPT, this walkie is still a great fit for efficiently moving products through a warehouse and is designed with convenience in mind. Its drive motor makes it easier to navigate over dock plates and to both pull and raise loads, ideal for higher cycle applications.

Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference. If you’re not sure which product is the best match for your operation, contact Dillon Toyota Lift for more information.

Original Post:  Anastasia Sistevaris, Communications Copywriter, Toyota Material Handling, USA

If you’ve been at your business for a while, you can usually predict when busy seasons are going to strike. Advancements in supply chain forecasting measures have made it easier than ever to plan ahead for seasonality.

And while you may feel prepared to meet demands, all businesses are subject to conditions and circumstances beyond their control. Say you didn’t anticipate the popularity of a new product that was released. You may not have ever needed to handle this new volume of orders for this particular product. On the other hand, say you released a product during a holiday that turned out to have an incredibly high return rate. You’re now unprepared for the stress on the reverse supply chain when orders are returned in larger volumes than predicted. And while both of these situations can happen and can mess with your inventory projections and needs, you also have to consider the possibility of equipment breakdown. On deadline in the peak seasons, having an important piece of pallet moving equipment go down can be devastating to delivering products to customers in line with your promises.

I actually recommend you keep some backup equipment on hand to combat these possibilities. But whatever the circumstances, these unexpected turns can leave you in a position where you simply don’t have enough equipment available in your warehouse or distribution center to keep the products moving. You need additional material handling equipment that you can get quickly and without hassle.

As you begin to explore your options, you might find that the benefits of a Hand Pallet Truck (HPT) are precisely what you need. It is a small but reliable piece of equipment that can take on heavy loads – perfect for short-term influxes of product. Ordering a Toyota HPT directly from the ToyotaForklift.com Store makes the process even smoother.  Buy Now

Original Post:  Jake Stewart, Digital Copywriter, Toyota Material Handling, USA