Guide to Implementing Forklift Fleet

As an authorized MOFFETT forklift dealer, HTX Material Handling is proud to announce that we now offer a wide selection of truck-mounted forklifts. Learn more about truck-mounted forklifts, their benefits, and why you should choose a MOFFETT forklift for your facility.

 A truck-mounted forklift, also known as a piggyback forklift, is a truck with an open, payload-carrying bed equipped with a forklift attached to the back. The forklift is secured with hooks, chains, or latches to prevent shifting when the truck is moving.

A truck-mounted forklift’s job is to carry materials to a job site or warehouse. Once it reaches the location, the forklift detaches and deploys to load, unload, and move materials to the site.

MOFFETT is committed to creating innovative, efficient truck-mounted forklifts that support safety, cost efficiency, and reliability. When you choose a MOFFETT forklift, you get a wide range of benefits like:

Many industries depend on MOFFETT forklifts, from recycling and distribution to industrial gas and building supplies.

Whether you have new or used forklifts, proper fleet management is crucial for successful warehouse operations.

MOFFETT piggyback forklifts are known for delivering a variety of products under the toughest conditions. As one of the most flexible delivery systems today, MOFFETT forklifts, like the piggyback, are compatible with most truck models and are transported using the unique MOFFETT shock-absorbing mounting kit.

Choosing the right forklift for your needs can be daunting. Here are a few things to consider before choosing a piggyback forklift for your operations:

At HTX, we offer a variety of MOFFETT forklifts with purchasing and rental options. Whether you need a forklift for a single project or want to test one out before committing to the investment, we can accommodate your needs.

Our MOFFETT forklift models include:

Avoid operating your forklift’s battery in high temperatures to preserve its lifespan. Using or charging the battery in an environment that’s more than 92 degrees Fahrenheit can cut its life expectancy in half. If you work in an environment where operations are completed in extreme heat, choose a battery designed for hot weather conditions.

HTX Material Handling prevents unexpected inconveniences with our planned maintenance services, including forklift battery maintenance. When you rely on us to preserve your battery’s lifespan, you get a long-lasting forklift battery that’s reliable, consistent, and optimized for efficient use.

With our team of experienced technicians servicing your material handling equipment like your forklift fleet, your machinery remains durable, reliable, and safe. We also offer forklift repairs and parts replacement services to maintain the proper functioning of your equipment. Contact us today to schedule your next maintenance service.

Even quality MOFFETT forklifts need maintenance to operate efficiently. That’s why HTX’s team of highly trained and certified technicians also provides MOFFETT parts, expert diagnostics, repairs, and maintenance to protect your forklift investment. With our Total Maintenance and Repair contracts, your MOFFETT forklift gets the right parts and care it needs to ensure your 2-in-1 material handling solution remains an important, hassle-free part of your operations. Contact us today to learn more about MOFFETT forklifts. 

Scheduling planned maintenance isn’t the only step you can take to ensure your forklift is running smoothly and saving you money—optimizing your forklift’s battery life is another way to protect your investment and preserve your machine’s performance.

You don’t always need an expert to optimize your forklift battery. Here are some steps you can take to preserve your machine’s battery life:

Choosing the wrong battery charger can deplete battery life earlier than expected. You can preserve your forklift battery’s life by checking with the manufacturer to confirm that you have the right industrial charger for your model. Start by asking an experienced technician if the amp hour rating is compatible with your machinery.

Charging your battery is a little more complicated than simply attaching your battery to the charger. To optimize and preserve your machine’s battery life, the charger must be connected to the battery correctly and involves the following steps:

A significant part of forklift battery maintenance is maintaining proper fluid levels. To optimize your battery life, keep a regular maintenance schedule that includes adding water to the battery—not enough water causes the battery to overheat, while too much water causes acid dilution.

To repair or replace? That is the question. If your forklift isn’t running smoothly, decide between repairing or replacing your equipment.

As part of your maintenance schedule, be sure to equalize your battery. Equalizing your battery balances the acid levels to preserve life expectancy and reliable performance. If you don’t equalize your forklift’s battery regularly, the acid concentration increases at the bottom of the battery, reducing its lifespan.

Have your forklift battery regularly tested by a professional to locate any potential problems and avoid battery failure. You can also invest in a battery status system to test your batteries without a professional.

Keeping your forklift’s battery clean is another essential way to preserve its life expectancy. Cleaning your battery with baking soda, hot water, and the manufacturer’s recommended amount of general cleaner prevents corrosion and is often required to maintain the manufacturer’s warranty.

Avoid operating your forklift’s battery in high temperatures to preserve its lifespan. Using or charging the battery in an environment that’s more than 92 degrees Fahrenheit can cut its life expectancy in half. If you work in an environment where operations are completed in extreme heat, choose a battery designed for hot weather conditions.

HTX Material Handling prevents unexpected inconveniences with our planned maintenance services, including forklift battery maintenance. When you rely on us to preserve your battery’s lifespan, you get a long-lasting forklift battery that’s reliable, consistent, and optimized for efficient use.

With our team of experienced technicians servicing your material handling equipment like your forklift fleet, your machinery remains durable, reliable, and safe. We also offer forklift repairs and parts replacement services to maintain the proper functioning of your equipment. Contact us today to schedule your next maintenance service.

Have you considered modern warehouse solutions to improve your facility operations? There is a wide range of equipment that increases productivity, reduces employee injuries, and saves you money.

This blog explains the types of solutions available today, like:

Recruiting the right employees and implementing modern warehouse solutions ensures that your facility runs like a well-oiled machine. Consider the following equipment and systems to keep your operations running smoothly.

If you’re operating a facility with limited space, warehouse storage solutions allow you to maximize storage space without increasing your facility footprint. Storage racking systems like automated pallet storage solutions are ideal for manufacturing and distribution operations with limited space. Pallet rack systems are energy efficient and provide consistent operation in a variety of extreme environments, including chillers and freezers. With pallet storage systems, you reduce inventory damage, prevent shrinkage, and enhance order fulfillment accuracy.

Along with storage racking systems, there are other types of warehouse storage equipment that improve your operations:

Adding the right storage systems to your warehouse maximizes your space, helps your staff locate inventory, and increases product protection.

Investing in warehouse material handling equipment is a great way to improve operations at your facility. By allowing machinery to complete tasks, you automate a variety of manual processes at your warehouse, resulting in a wide range of benefits like:

Lean warehouse management improves facility efficiency using a 5S methodology.

Your warehouse loading dock is one of the most essential areas of your facility. Shipping and receiving processes should go smoothly without interruptions or accidents. Using the right dock equipment can optimize your area’s workflow and prevent employee injury. Examples of dock equipment that makes your shipping and receiving processes more efficient, customizable, and safer include:

Conveyors are machines that move materials from one location to another. Using conveyor warehouse solutions at your facility automates manual processes to save time and increase productivity. They allow accumulation without line pressure to limit product damage, reduce handling costs for repetitive tasks, merge and divert for a balanced workload, and transport products between processes efficiently. Conveyor belts also require minimal human interaction, which reduces the risk of injury.

Different types of conveyor systems to consider for your warehouse include:

Lifting equipment like aerial lifts and forklifts make lifting, loading, and unloading warehouse products easy and efficient. Some lifting equipment may look small, but they have excellent lifting and loading capabilities—many can handle carrying loads up to 35,000 pounds. This innovative warehouse solution eliminates manual handling and increases efficiency and safety at your facility.

Packing warehouse solutions include equipment that allows you to wrap a product or design a container to provide protection and easy handling during shipment. With the right packing equipment, you can reduce labor costs and provide consistency while wrapping goods. Investing in packing equipment also improves inventory management by eliminating product separation, saving you time during inventory counts.

Packing warehouse solutions to consider include:

At HTX Material Handling, our modern warehouse solutions make processes more accurate and efficient for a variety of industries. We offer a variety of material handling equipment developed by leading manufacturers like:

When you count on HTX, you get every warehouse solution you need to run your facility smoothly, from storage racking systems and equipment to loading dock machinery and conveyor systems. We also offer quality parts and comprehensive maintenance services for forklifts to keep your equipment in good condition. Contact us today to partner with a material handling professional who cares about your bottom line—every time.

Even workers who undergo hours of pallet racking safety training and strictly follow protocols can make mistakes. To prevent this unfortunate reality from becoming a catastrophic event, you can install rack safety products. Continue reading this article to learn about the best racking protection products for warehouses and storage facilities.

As a warehouse worker, one of your most important responsibilities is safeguarding the people and inventory stored at your facility. With so many people, pieces of equipment, and forklifts moving around the floor, accidents are bound to happen. All it takes to endanger the safety of your workforce and products is for a forklift driver to become distracted and bump into a pallet rack system.

Shielding the upright frames and cross beams of a racking system is one of the most critical steps in racking protection. Without pallet racking protectors and other rack safety products, any impact jeopardizes the structural integrity of a shelving unit or can even cause it to collapse. Fortunately, pallet racking protectors are designed to avoid bumps and impacts from reaching racking columns.

Solutions like warehouse post protectors and rack safety products enhance warehouse safety for everyone and everything involved. The machinery and equipment used to move pallets around floorspace are heavy and powerful. Even a low-speed impact can render racks useless.

Think of what a hassle it could be if you had to remove all the inventory from a rack because it’s been damaged. Now imagine your warehouse is already full. Even worse, what would happen to your bottom line if an accident destroyed a rack’s worth of product due to crashing to the ground?

Racking protection is a cost-effective and straightforward way to avoid:

Now that you have a better understanding of why pallet racking protectors are important, let’s explore some rack safety products you can incorporate into your warehouse.

The most common damage to racking systems is caused by lift equipment impact. That makes warehouse post protectors, also called column guards, a crucial element of racking protection. Guards act as a barrier of pallet rack protection between the equipment and individual columns of the rack’s interior frame. If you have ground-level loading and unloading at your facility, pallet rack post protectors are necessary.

A great way to protect the frames of storage racking is to install end of row protection. End-of-row guards help prevent forklifts and other machinery from bending the frame. These rack safety products also defend against sliding pallets or pallets stored outside the storage unit from being pushed into the frame.

The more narrow your aisles are, the harder it is for drivers to navigate them. Down-aisle pallet racking protectors help prevent forklifts from running off course and crashing into columns and pallets. They also add an essential layer of protection when performing high lifts to the upper levels of racks.

It’s far too easy for a forklift operator to be off by just a few inches while loading and unloading or maneuvering around a corner. This makes the bottom portion of the rails the most susceptible to impact. Guard rails are a necessary pallet racking protector in high-traffic areas.

Not all pallet racking protectors are explicitly made to defend against the damaging effects of forklift impact. Along with components like warehouse post protectors, you can increase your safety efforts by installing:

Keeping your rack upright is only part of the battle when it comes to racking protection. If you store pallets on the top level of your system, you should consider frame extensions. Frame extensions act as a barrier that prevents products from falling to the ground level following forklift impact.

While items falling from the highest level of your racking system present the highest degree of danger, any pallet can cause the direct consequences. Adding sturdy plastic, polyethylene, or wire mesh netting to your racks keeps your inventory secure and workers safe from crashing into them. As an added benefit, enclosed racking protection can also protect high-value items from theft or tampering.

Rack safety products are built to withstand the force of powerful forklifts and other heavy-duty machinery, but they’re not indestructible. If your pallet racking protectors were damaged during an impact event, they can often be repaired.

Mac Rak repair kits are available in a wide variety of categories, including:

They also offer various repair kits for several different rack system configurations.

HTX is the leading provider of material handling and warehouse equipment. Our team is deeply rooted in our principles of integrity and dependability, and we work hard to make sure our customers’ needs are met. Your safety goals are important to us, and we want to contribute to your success.

We supply businesses throughout Dallas-Forth Worth and Houston with the highest-quality pallet racking protectors. We also offer a wide range of warehouse storage solutions, including automation, handling systems, conveyor systems, and loading dock solutions. If you’re looking to partner with a company that puts as much emphasis on delivering the highest level of customer service, products, and solutions, reach out to HTX.

Warehouse efficiency and productivity have been significantly tested over the last two years. Managers have to deal with labor shortages that expose the flaws associated with lean management techniques. Many businesses have started improving their forklift fleet management to minimize the impact of supply chain shortages. Read more about the new challenges facing fleet managers and the benefits of proper fleet management and logistics.

Warehouse managers haven’t been immune to the recent labor shortage crisis. A reduced workforce limits productivity and impacts the bottom line.

Fuel consumption has always been a concern, but recent price surges have highlighted the importance of proper fuel management. Gas forklifts consume significant amounts of fuel, and rising costs have impacted profitability.

Supply chain issues and rising fuel prices have raised the overall cost of forklift fleet vehicles. This has placed greater importance on properly maintaining forklifts.

Staff shortages and increased prices have forced warehouse managers to work harder and smarter. A well-designed forklift fleet management program provides the following benefits for supply chain logistics:

Warehouse workers have to do more work in real time to keep up with recent increases in demands. A properly implemented forklift fleet management system allows efficient communication throughout the workplace. Employees are more productive when working as a cohesive unit, and fleet management and logistics keep everyone working towards the same goal.

The rising costs for new and used forklift trucks have raised the importance of maintaining the equipment you already have. Developing a maintenance schedule as part of your forklift fleet management program extends the service life of equipment by letting you know when it’s time for forklift vehicle maintenance. Keeping your lift trucks in peak condition keeps your warehouse productive and provides long-term cost savings.

Few events cause greater delays in warehouse operations than employee injuries. A well-designed management program properly trains your staff and prevents accidents by encouraging safe driver behavior.

Implementing a management system with forklift tracking software requires a careful analysis of your entire warehouse. Here are some steps to consider for your forklift fleet management and logistics system:

Thoroughly survey your warehouse and pinpoint the areas that need improvement. Effective forklift fleet management isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Knowing what’s most important to you and your staff factors into what areas you focus on. Take time and determine the most important goals for your organization, then use that information to choose the technology your organization needs.

Capture data about your fleet using forklift tracking software. The information gathered helps you determine the service level guidelines your business needs and narrows down your maintenance provider options.

This is where you can use your fleet management information to find cost-saving opportunities. It’s also important to review critical safety and training programs so your employees practice proper workplace habits.

Deploy your forklift fleet management program. Keep careful notes on how often forklifts are in operation; this plays a key role in following your new maintenance program and maximizes your equipment’s service life.

A well-run forklift fleet management program is always evolving. Communicate with your employees and decide what needs to be adjusted. With forklift fleet management, your warehouse can avoid the pitfalls that often impact businesses during supply chain shortages.

The HTX team understands the impact that forklift fleet management and logistics have on the long-term efficiency of warehouses. That’s why we work hard to help managers address new challenges by offering comprehensive maintenance service plans. Our program is designed to limit downtime and maximize employee productivity. Our services include:

Well-kept equipment allows your employees to effectively complete their daily tasks. HTX offers forklift repair services that keep your equipment operational. We take pride in only employing trained and certified technicians who have expert knowledge on forklift equipment. Our staff undergoes regular training and testing to maintain that knowledge. Partnering with us means you never have to worry about costly forklift downtime.

Regular maintenance boosts productivity, increases profits, and reduces the chance of injury. HTX offers an industry-leading planned maintenance program that keeps your fleet vehicles in peak condition. Our expert technicians work around your schedule before visiting your facility and inspecting your forklift equipment. We train our technicians to catch issues early, so they can take proactive measures that prevent costly repairs or product replacements. Our maintenance services provide the peace of mind you need.

HTX Material Handling has been helping companies across the Houston and Dallas areas with their material handling needs since 2019. Businesses partner with us because they know our solutions maximize efficiency. We stay committed to integrity and dependability by offering high-quality equipment from leading brands, including:

We understand that each business has unique needs, and our team provides a transparent process that focuses on your budget. Contact HTX today to learn more about how our services meet the new challenges facing fleet managers.

Whether your forklifts are new or used, proper management is critical for your warehouse’s operations. A forklift fleet management system reduces overall costs, improves efficiency, and keeps your staff safe. Here are some tips for improving your forklift fleet management.

Having a complete record of your fleet inventory is the first step to improving forklift fleet management. This involves recording each lift’s make, model, and serial number. Also, documenting the engine models and tire types allows your team to quickly service equipment and minimize downtime.

Making sure your forklifts are up to date helps you manage your fleet and track maintenance needs. Regularly evaluate your equipment by keeping records on age, mileage, condition, and recent repairs. This allows you to replace equipment before major issues develop.

Your operators are an important part of your forklift management, and making sure they’re properly trained reduces repair costs, keeps your business OSHA compliant, and enhances warehouse safety. Well-trained workers increase productivity because they’re less likely to make mistakes, allowing them to focus more on their tasks.

Manually keeping track of a fleet is time-consuming and difficult. Forklift tracking software allows warehouse managers to easily track costs, equipment conditions, and maintenance needs. This solution enhances workplace productivity by:

Forklift management software minimizes downtime by allowing users to report any issues.

Effective communication between management, technicians, and operators is key to making sure your forklifts remain in working condition. Verify that all employees are on the same page regarding the operation and maintenance of equipment. Set clear expectations and keep detailed records about driver activity.

Arranging your warehouse’s layout to maximize your fleet’s strength enhances your forklift fleet management. Research your lift’s capabilities and determine how your warehouse can be set to suit its capabilities. For example, a forklift that fits in narrow aisles allows you to push your shelves closer together. This reduces transit time at your facility and boosts productivity.

Balancing a warehouse staff and forklift fleet management is difficult for business owners. Partnering with a quality provider lets you focus on more valuable tasks and provides peace of mind knowing your equipment is protected.

We understand the effects improper forklift fleet management has on your business. That’s why HTX offers a comprehensive maintenance service plan designed to limit downtime and maximize your warehouse’s productivity. Our services include:

Partnering with a reputable company allows for a rapid repair turnaround time and minimizes loss of productivity. Our team of trained and certified technicians has years of experience working with forklifts. This knowledge allows them to quickly repair your lifts and keep your warehouse functioning.

Forklift breakdowns decrease the productivity of your warehouse, reduce profits, and increase injury risk. HTX offers a planned maintenance program that keeps your equipment in excellent condition. Our planned maintenance programs are designed to suit your needs. Our experts work around your schedule to visit your facility to inspect your equipment. We train our technicians to catch issues at an early stage, allowing them to take proactive measures and prevent costly repairs. Our services ensure your equipment runs smoothly.

HTX Material Handling has been helping businesses across Houston and Dallas with their material handling needs since 2019. We partner with our clients to maximize their business’ efficiency and streamline processes. Our team delivers on our commitment to integrity and dependability by offering equipment from the leading brands, including:

We realize that not all company needs are the same and offer a transparent process that focuses on your bottom line. Contact us today to learn more about how our services enhance your warehouse’s forklift fleet management.