Forks are undeniably the most popular attachment for a forklift. However, they are not always the right attachment for every application, as some loads require unique attachments to get the job done. And if forks are the choice attachment, there are additional attachments available that help those forks perform certain jobs better, such as side shifters or fork positioners.
Selecting and using the right attachment for your application can results in higher productivity, less damage to the load, less stress on the forklift, and added convenience for the forklift operator. So, what attachments are the most popular?

Side Shifters

Side shifters are popular forklift attachments that operate in conjunction with the forks. They allow the operator to shift the forks to the left and right without leaving their seat. This ability to reposition the forks helps operators pick up loads that might not be perfectly aligned with the forklift which, in turn, saves wear and tear on the forklift. Side shifters are available in both single and double units, meaning operators can handle one or two pallets at the same time.

Fork Positioners

Fork positioners allow the forklift operator to automatically adjust the distance between the forks quickly to fit different pallet sizes without leaving their seat.

Paper Roll Clamps

Paper roll clamps allow the operator to clamp onto the sides of a roll of paper without damaging or crushing the product. These clamps can be used in a variety of applications. Clamps are the attachment of choice when a load is not transportable by pallet.

Flat Surface Clamps

Like paper roll clamps, flat surface clamps are also available and are most commonly used in the appliance industry to transport appliances such as washers, dryers, and refrigerators.

Rotators

Rotators have forks attached to a rotating apron that can turn between 180 degrees and 360 degrees. These attachments are most often used where bins or containers are stored and transported. The contents are carried in the attached bin and dumped into another container.

Multiple Load Handlers

Multiple load handlers are used to double or triple a forklift’s productivity level by adding a second or third pair of forks to the truck. Operators can pick up more than one load at a time and transport them side by side. These attachments are often found in beverage and food handling warehouses.

Push / Pull

This attachment helps eliminate the need for pallets. Loads are on cardboard or plastic slip sheets that have a lip on them and the load is pushed off the forks by this attachment. Eliminating pallets helps to reduce cost and to free up space within a facility. These attachments are most popular in food-processing warehouses.

Carpet Poles

Carpet Poles are heavy duty coils used to transport large rolls of carpeting.

Benefits of Forklift Attachments

Forklift attachments can result in higher productivity and less operator stress, which is great for your company, and even better for your operators! Well-trained operators using the right attachment for your application can save time and money. You will love the increased production, and your operators will enjoy the new features.

Taking possession of a brand new or new-to-you forklift is fun. One of the reasons the people at Toyota are so dedicated to manufacturing and selling forklifts is that they are really cool machines. So I know operators are excited to jump on their new lift and get to work. Not to worry. We want you to enjoy and use your Toyota forklift to get your work done safely and efficiently.

Relatively quickly, you’ll need to know some quick information about your forklift’s capabilities. Luckily, a forklift data plate is installed on every truck on the market to help you understand what your forklift can do and provide vital information. Let me provide a guide that can help you read your data plate and start lifting better using all of the readily available information.

1. Model number: The model number of your Toyota forklift is extremely important for relaying information to your dealers about repair or technical assistance, understanding your lift capacity, and looking up useful information on the Toyotaforklift.com website.
2. Serial Number: The serial number on your lift is the most important number available for technician communication. The model serial number combination will allow techs to match parts and understand your particular machine before they arrive.
3. Mast Type: Toyota has various types of masts including 2-stage, 3-stage, and 4-stage that vary depending on your specific forklift model and selected specifications to meet your needs.
4. Fuel Type: Shows whether the machine is powered by electricity (E), liquid propane (LP), diesel (DS), gasoline (G), or compressed natural gas (CNG).
5. Back Tilt: This number represents the degrees back the mast can tilt to help keep loads on the forks securely (6 degrees in this example).
6. Attachments: This lets you know what attachments have been added to the forklift to give you a clear indication of its capabilities. In the pictured data plate, we see the side-shifter is in place, meaning the carriage can be shifted left or right.
7. Front Tread: The front tread of a forklift is equivalent to its overall width. It’s like a forklift’s footprint and helps operations managers and operators understand the space a forklift will take up in the working environment.
8. Tire Size: The tire size and type the truck was designed and built to use. “Solid” indicates a solid pneumatic tire, Cushion type tires will state “Smooth” or “Treaded”. Always replace with the same size and type of tire.
9. Truck Weight: The overall weight of the truck.
10. Forklift Diagram: The forklift diagram offers several data points that are important for understanding the function of your forklift. This can help you understand what your forklift can lift and how it can maneuver in your work space.
    • The horizontal load center
    • The vertical load center
    • The maximum fork height
    • The maximum distance the forks can be offset from forklift’s centerline
11. Only trained operators who have read and understood the operator’s manual should operate forklifts.

The excitement surrounding the acquisition of a new forklift for your operation is something to be celebrated. We at Dillon Toyota Lift are equally excited to help you achieve your goals, and that’s why we work hard to manufacture industry-leading forklifts with legendary reliability. But we also recognize that your forklift success is about more than just the occasional acquisition of a new forklift. Instead, you have unique needs, success measurements, and pain points that need to be addressed throughout the entirety of your forklift’s lifetime.

The Toyota 360 Support promise isn’t just an aftermarket tool for purchase. It’s our promise to integrate with your problems and to help you find material handling solutions wherever possible. When you invest in a comprehensive aftermarket services program with Toyota 360 Support, make sure you’re taking full advantage of that promise and challenge us to fulfill it. You can bet we’re up the task.

Asking Your Toyota Technician

Not only does Toyota promise a four-hour guaranteed turnaround time on maintenance requests, not just anyone will be looking at your forklift. Rather, Toyota Certified Technicians who have been trained on Toyota forklifts, using Toyota Genuine Parts, and comprehensive Toyota dealer training techniques will handle the job. Don’t hesitate to ask your technician about the mechanical operation of your forklift or any efficiency questions you have about its internal function. They are there to help.

Utilizing the Toyota Dealer Network

The extensive Toyota forklifts dealer network is one of the major benefits to all of our customers and an integral part of the Toyota 360 promise. Don’t think of your Toyota forklift dealer as a company there to sell you forklifts. Instead, think of it as a group of people using their collective experience to help you tackle material handling challenges and increase operational efficiencies. We’re most successful when you’re successful, and a partnership built on mutual success is the foundation of the Toyota 360 support promise. From parts needs or warranty claims to consultations regarding proper forklift selection, forklifts’ functionality, capability, or current state of operation, your dealer is there to help with Toyota 360 Support.

Toyota Genuine Parts are the Core of All Repairs

Genuine. It’s that feeling of certainty when you expect fulfilled promises. If the Toyota dealer partnership is the foundation of the Toyota 360 Support promise, then Toyota Genuine Parts are how we deliver on it. Toyota forklifts lead the industry in overall value. Part of that overall value is the sum of the forklift’s Toyota Genuine Parts. And that’s exactly what Certified Toyota Technicians use as part of the Toyota 360 Support promise.

At Toyota, we know that you need more than just a forklift solution. You need solutions to complex operational challenges. Your success is within reach. Our promise is to provide the comprehensive support you need to achieve it.

Written By:  Jake Stewart, Digital Copywriter,Toyota Material Handling, USA

Standing desks are all the rage now in today’s workplace. While many people I know with standing desks hardly use them, they’re at least there in case you want to stretch your legs every once in a while and get a good view around the office. And I suppose there are the health benefits of not sitting down throughout an entire work shift.

But choosing between a stand-up rider and sit-down forklift is about more than the potential health benefits. Using the correct piece of equipment can actually have a major impact on the safety of your workplace. This guide will help show you the pros and cons of both types of forklifts and point you in the right direction for your next purchase, lease, or rental decision.

On/Off Frequency – One of the main reasons you would consider using a stand-up rider is the fact that getting on and off the forklift can be considerably faster. With lower step heights and no seatbelt to take on and off, time spent entering and exiting can be cut down significantly. This is ideal for applications where operators are frequently getting off of the forklift throughout the course of their shift for activities such as picking product. The time and labor cost savings can really add up over time, depending on the frequency of operators’ getting on and off of the forklift.

Performance – Sit-down forklifts can have higher travel speeds and lift/lower speeds than stand-up riders, which can increase productivity and throughput in high volume applications.

Lifting Capacity – Stand-up rider and sit-down forklifts are both counterbalanced type forklifts. When comparing a stand-up rider to a 3-wheel electric with the same base capacity, you typically get more lifting capacity from the stand-up rider at higher lift heights due to the compact design and centralized center of gravity. Four-wheel electric models, however, typically attain the highest lifting capacities overall.

Purchase Price – The initial cost is typically higher for stand-up rider forklifts when compared to 3-wheel electric models.

Right Angle Stack – In general, right angle stacking capabilities are fairly similar between 3-wheel electric and stand-up rider models with similar capacities. Stand-up rider forklifts, however, usually have a small advantage due to their shorter length and can operate in slightly smaller aisles. Both stand-up rider and 3-wheel electric forklifts have a significant advantage over 4-wheel electrics in regard to minimum aisle width requirements.

Operator Preference – Operator preference tends to play a large role in most purchasing decisions for new equipment. Operators who are used to operating sit-down forklifts are generally resistant to swapping their sit-down for a stand-up rider and vice versa. The main reasons for this are the differences in operating position and operability. Stand-up riders are typically controlled by a single multi-function control handle while sit-down forklifts use conventional cowl-mounted levers or mini-levers. Sit-down forklifts also have traditional brake pedals, while stand-up riders use “plugging” (requesting travel in the opposite direction) for braking and have a dead man pedal for emergency braking. Being familiar with a particular operating style promotes safety and can help to increase productivity and operator confidence. But over time, operators tend to adjust and get used to the new controls and nuances.

As always, if you’re unsure of which product is right for you, reach out to Dillon Toyota Lift for advice and consultation based on your material handling needs.

Ecommerce is forever changing the way customers shop and the way businesses operate. More and more customers are shopping online and having orders shipped to a nearby store or more likely shipped directly to their homes. More importantly customers are expecting it to arrive quicker than ever before. This expectation of 2-day delivery is putting stress on businesses today and will continue to pressure businesses into changing the way they operate. Queue dark warehousing. Dark warehousing is a concept that is becoming more and more popular, although it comes at a price.

What is a Dark Warehouse?

A dark warehouse is a fully-automated warehouse that operates without the use of human labor. You can simply turn the lights out and the operation will continue to run. The pressure on businesses for swift deliveries of online orders has influenced the deployment of automated guided vehicles, self-driving forklifts, conveyor belts, and automated palletizers throughout all warehouses in order to speed up operations. Add all of these up among other automated equipment and you have yourself a dark warehouse.

What are the Advantages of Dark Warehouses?

There are several advantages of a dark warehouse that entice business to automate their facilities. One advantage is eliminating putting employees in adverse working conditions. Robots and other automated tools will perform tasks in those conditions, such as freezing temperatures.

Dark warehouses are also extremely quick and efficient, providing less chance for error with automated machines. There are no shift changes, breaks or human error that need to be corrected. Dark warehouses operate 24/7 without stopping.

Are there any Downfalls to Dark Warehousing?

There are a few downfalls to implementing dark warehouses into your business. For one, they are not cheap. These warehouses are multi-million dollar facilities with high capital expenditures. Large, established companies are best suited for implementing these types of warehouses.

Dark warehouses are also not as flexible in operation for picking, packing, and shipping. These warehouses are very good in industries that have products similar in size and weight. The more variation there is in a dark warehouse the expense you incur with automation equipment for handling different sized products.

What does the Dark Warehousing Trend Mean for My Business?

Moving to dark warehousing means some operations are having to alter the expertise of both managers and employees. Where warehouses with a manual focus require expertise in communication in a facility with many moving parts and a wide range of knowledge about different types of operator required equipment, dark warehouses require different skill sets. Technical software skills and program management becomes key.

Even warehouse businesses not moving fully to dark warehouses will see an increase in technology in their operations in order to meet demand and keep pace with competitors. In this case, learning how to integrate human-controlled machines into automated conveyor system and order retrieval technologies is key.

Dark warehousing is just one of several new movements in meeting the demand of customers in a digital world. As this demand isn’t likely to decrease soon, adjusting to trends and keeping a cutting-edge warehouse can go a long way in taking your business to new heights.

Electric forklifts can be beneficial in many different work indoor applications (and now even outdoors with Toyota’s 80-Volt Electric Pneumatic Forklift). Using electric forklifts in your warehouse is one of the most common uses of these machines and for good reason. Electric warehouse forklifts can reduce fuel costs and be charged at intervals that can maximize efficiency across shifts. Take a look at some of the following benefits electric forklifts could have in your warehouse space.

Electric Warehouse Forklift Benefits: Less Noise

You may not think about it, but having a quieter forklift may impact you or your operator’s ability to operate safely and effectively in certain applications. In smaller, confined spaces, with multiple forklifts running, it could get pretty loud. With electric forklifts, it lowers the noise level, allowing for easier communication, and less fatigue from your operators. Really, the only noise that electric forklifts have is the horn. In certain warehouses, this can make it easier for operators and pedestrians to hear forklift horns, co-workers, or other important workplace sounds.

Electric Warehouse Forklift Benefits: Lower Emissions

When you are using a gas or LPG burning forklift, you are producing emissions that could be harmful to your associates and products if not properly addressed. Electric forklifts do not generate any CO emissions. This helps keep your employees healthy and lower the impact of emissions in your warehouse.

Certain products can also be harmed by emissions including food items, other perishables, and various consumer products. Toyota electric forklifts come in a wide variety of lifting capacities to fit many different applications. Also, less emissions is great for the environment!

If you are using a gas or LPG forklift in your warehouse instead of electrics, we understand there are many reasons that might have influenced that decision, and Toyota is the U.S. leader in internal combustion forklifts. However, make sure you are using proper ventilation techniques if you’re using one in your warehouse.

Electric Warehouse Forklift Benefits: A Wide Range of Options

Because your warehouse needs to maximize space, it could be hard to fit a full-sized forklift down your narrow aisles. An electric warehouse forklift can help solve that issue. At Toyota, we have many different electric forklifts to fit your needs. Maybe you need to squeeze in those narrow aisles? The 3-wheel electric would be perfect. It has a tighter turn radius than most forklifts, but still has the capacity to lift up to 4,000 lbs. Maybe your warehouse stacks pallets behind each other. This is where reach trucks work great. Being able to place pallets in front of each other makes sure you are maximizing your warehouse space and racking. No matter what type of warehouse blueprint you have, Toyota Material Handling has an electric forklift to fit your needs!

Electric Warehouse Forklift Benefits: Operating Cost

When it comes to the operating cost of forklifts, electric forklifts can usually be lower than that of internal combustion models. While IC models run on gas, electric forklifts run on, well, electricity! You may need to set up a charging station in your warehouse, but the cost of electricity can be significantly lower than that of fuel.

While IC models are still the most popular in the market, electric forklifts are increasing in popularity. So remember, if you are looking to increase productivity and ROI in your warehouse, take a look at all of the different electric forklift options from Toyota.

Written By:  Lucas Collom, Digital Projects Administrator, Toyota Material Handling, USA