They say variety is the spice of life – and that’s certainly true when it comes to material handling forklifts and forklift attachments. Although the basics of a lift truck are pretty similar across the board, since the material we handle varies quite a bit, the forklift attachments do, as well.

Side Shifter (and Fork Positioner) Forks

Almost every material handling operation that uses the forklift can benefit from the side shifter attachment. In fact, this combo of attachments is the most popular because of the many benefits they offer material handling applications. So, let’s take a look.

Side Shifter: This attachment fits on the front of the lift truck. When forks are attached to it, it allows them to move laterally (left to right), as well as up and down.

Fork Positioner: This allows the space in between the forks to be manipulated, so operators can pick up a variety of different shaped and placed pallets and items without leaving the truck or having a second worker manually move them.

The benefits from these two attachments are numerous. They include improved productivity since multiple loads may be handled without physical intervention from a worker, increased space utilization since one lift truck can work a variety of loads in one place and less damage to pallets and products.

Who Needs a Side Shifter and Fork Positioner?

If you are running multiple shifts in your material handling operation and quick and efficient throughput are at the top of your list, you need these handy tools in your toolkit. For the price, you can maximize your output with this equipment.

Clamp Forks

Another popular choice in forklift attachments is clamps. Just like what they sound like, clamps hold loads from the sides. They come in a wide variety of sizes to handle a huge variety of uniquely-shaped materials. As with any forklift attachment, the kind you use is predetermined by the lift truck’s capabilities. There are several types to choose from for different applications, including:

Paper clamps: Designed specifically to handle rolls of paper, which are heavy and hard to handle due to their round shape.

Bale clamps: Just like the name says, this type of clamp is for material that isn’t on a pallet, such as bales of hay.

Carton clamps: Products such as appliances, vegetables and breakables are often packed in cartons and would likely suffer damage if pierced by a forklift fork.

Fork clamps: Made specifically for hard-to-handle loads that won’t fit safely on other lift truck attachments, such as tires and crates. 

For example, someone who moves a bale of hay isn’t going to use the same forklift attachment as someone who moves a pallet of expensive, high-end TVs. One thing we all do have in common, however, is the need to use the right tool for the job. And that’s where learning about forklift attachments comes in handy.