What can Cat® forklifts do for you?
Food and beverage businesses have always been high amongst our most important customers. Our forklift designers continuously develop improvements to meet this vital industry’s diverse needs. Then, from our comprehensive range, our expert dealers work out the perfect lift truck choice for your application. Each of us fully understands that efficient materials handling makes the difference between empty retail shelves and satisfied consumers.
We serve every part of the food and drink sector and its supply chain. That includes:
- Food production
- Food manufacturing
- Food processing
- Food warehousing and wholesale – including cold storage warehouses
- Food distribution – including the foodservice subsector
- Food and grocery retail
- And more
We equally support the corresponding range of beverage industry subsectors with their specific requirements.
You will find Cat counterbalance and warehouse trucks:
- Taking materials and products into and out of goods vehicles
- Transporting them from place to place in factories, stores, warehouses and distribution centres
- Stacking and retrieving palletised loads
- Picking individual items to fulfil orders
Food and beverage industry challenges
Lift truck hygiene
As well as preventing microbiological contamination, food and beverage companies must protect their products from contaminants such as:
- Noxious and particulate exhaust emissions
- Brake pad dust
- Tyre rubber deposits
- Hydraulic and other lubricants
The lift trucks you choose should be clean in those respects. They should also be designed to withstand frequent and thorough washing.
Materials handling speed
Food and drink must be moved swiftly through the supply chain, especially in the case of perishable products. At the same time, product damage through collisions or jerky materials handling movements is to be avoided. In cold chain logistics, loading and unloading between each refrigerated environment needs to be especially quick. Further pressure for extra speed has come from customers’ increasing expectation of fast deliveries in e-commerce.
Forklift resilience and dependability
Food and drink supply is often a non-stop, 24/7 operation. Downtime due to a non-functioning forklift, for example, breaks the chain. The resulting delays in delivery can be extremely costly and, in some cases, may result in food waste. Inbuilt forklift durability, easy maintenance and strong service support are a must. Depending on the workplace conditions, forklifts may need additional protection against:
- Wet weather – if used both outdoors and indoors
- Wet floors, wet food products (such as fish), salt and other corrosive substances
- Wash water and aggressive detergents
- Extremely low cold store temperatures
Factory and warehouse operational economy
To remain competitive, food and beverage businesses must look for cost savings. Energy efficiency is a big concern for this sector. Production and cold storage are among the most energy-intensive aspects – and so is materials handling. Maintenance of lift trucks is another key expense to consider. Meanwhile, the need – and cost – of warehouse space is growing, as customers demand ever-greater variety in their food and drink.
Supply chain workforce retention
Labour shortages are a common problem in many industries. The intensive nature of food and beverage work can make it difficult for this sector to attract and retain employees. For materials handling staff, specifically, the right choice of lift truck is important in optimising comfort, health, safety and job satisfaction.
Sustainability
Food and drink customers are increasingly interested in the environmental impacts of their buying habits. They want to know, for instance, whether ingredients are sustainably sourced and processed. Businesses wishing to reinforce their green credentials need to look at all of their activities, including materials handling and logistics. Emissions, energy consumption and avoidance of waste are key areas on which to focus.
Materials handling solutions from Cat® Lift Trucks
Hygienic lift trucks
Compact and clean Cat electric counterbalance forklifts are an ideal choice for food and beverage applications. We offer 1.4 to 2.0 tonne (3-wheel and 4-wheel), 2.5 to 3.5 tonne and 4.0 to 5.5 tonne ranges. However, if you still prefer IC engine power, our LPG counterbalance models may appeal.
Brake pad dust is eliminated by fitting fully electric brakes to our smallest electrics and wet disc brakes to larger models. These features, along with other sealed components, allow frequent washing without damage to the trucks. Non-marking tyres and food-grade hydraulic oil can be optionally specified.
Fast materials handling
All Cat electric counterbalance forklifts and warehouse trucks are, of course, equipped with powerful motors for fast performance. However, productivity also depends on maximising ergonomics, vision, manoeuvrability, precision and control. These factors enable optimum speed while avoiding spills and accidents.
The Responsive Drive System (RDS) on Cat electric counterbalance forklifts helps ensure that all travel and hydraulic actions are smoothly controlled. Advanced cornering control systems are a further aid in optimum matching of speed to circumstances. In addition, there are hydraulic technologies which optimise mast and fork movements according to load weights and lift heights.
These trucks also feature four-wheel steering systems, with +100⁰ rear turning axles, for precise agility. Alternatively, on the 3-wheel electrics, optional 360⁰ steering enables fluid turns without changing direction. It also allows faster turning without destabilising the load.
Cat warehouse trucks are similarly engineered and designed for fast but controlled performance. Our power pallet trucks and stackers come in pedestrian, platform, stand-in and sit-on ranges. The smaller power pallets can be carried in the back of a lorry for quick and easy loading and unloading at any destination. Further choices include platform double pallet handlers, which can double the rate of load movement.
Cat platform trucks in these ranges offer the option of Active Spin Reduction (ASR), which is especially useful in food and beverage operations. It reduces drive wheel spin and wheel wear on slippery floors. Cat reach trucks also offer ASR optionally.
Cat stand-in power-pallets and sit-on power pallets, and stand-in stackers and sit-on stackers, offer an interesting upgrade from platform models. With more compact dimensions, greater operator enclosure and protection, and advanced drive, steering and stability systems, they can work faster. Their features include automatic cornering control and optional 360⁰ steering.
Cat reach trucks are long-time favourites in the food and beverage sector. These, too, feature advanced drive, cornering and hydraulic control systems to maintain optimum speed and smoothness in all motion. There is also the option of 360⁰ steering. Our designers apply the same care and attention to our order picker and tow truck ranges.
For some applications, clamps, rotators or other mast attachments may be needed for fast handling. These can be fitted to our counterbalance and warehouse trucks by specialised suppliers. Time can also be saved by choosing lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These give the possibility of fast opportunity charging, for continuous productivity.
Resilient and dependable forklifts
Cat lift trucks are famously durable and reliable. In both counterbalance and warehouse forklift products, we seal key components against water, dust and dirt. This equips them to cope with wet weather, wet indoor working conditions and frequent washing.
For cold stores, Cat 1.4 to 2.0 tonne (3-wheel and 4-wheel) electric counterbalance forklifts are a top choice. They can be modified for temperatures down to minus 35⁰C. The same applies to our pedestrian power pallets and pedestrian stackers. Most Cat warehouse products can be optionally modified for conditions down to minus 30⁰C.
Importantly, our dealers can provide complete forklift supply and maintenance packages, giving confidence of non-stop productivity. With our support, you needn’t worry about forklift-related downtime.
Economical factory and warehouse operations
Our electric counterbalance forklifts and warehouse trucks are designed for maximum energy efficiency. For even lower consumption, you can choose Li-ion batteries and select ECO operating modes or programmes.
Meanwhile, the durability and easy maintenance design of our products reduces part replacement and servicing costs. As well as keeping down the total cost of operation (TCO), these qualities keep the trucks’ resale values high.
Our materials handling solutions can also reduce the amount – and cost – of warehouse space needed for your stock. Or, to view it another way, we can help to store more stock in the same space. With our help, you can make your racking higher and your aisles narrower.
Our compact stand-in stackers and sit-on stackers are well worth considering in this respect. (Consider also our stand-in power pallets and sit-on power pallets for best use of floor space.) These stackers lift higher than platform versions and work in narrower aisles. Their lifting also compares well with that of many reach trucks, but again in narrower aisles.
In addition, you could think about the space-saving benefits of double-deep-stacking, with fewer aisles. This can be achieved using our stand-in and sit-on stackers with telescopic forks. It’s most appropriate for long-life products, rather than those requiring a FIFO (first-in, first-out) approach. Other Cat forklift solutions to increase utilisation of warehouse space include:
- Reach trucks and high-level order pickers for the highest racking
- Man-up turret trucks and man-down VNA trucks for the narrowest aisles
Happy and productive supply chain workers
At Cat Lift Trucks, we place lift truck operators and their needs at the centre of our designs. We are leaders in the field of optimising ergonomics and user experience. Our ergonomic forklifts don’t just protect users from discomfort and ill-health due to fatigue, strain, vibration and noise. They make work a satisfying and enjoyable experience.
On our electric counterbalance forklifts, drivers can expect comfortable, spacious operating compartments, user-friendly controls, and easy entry and exit. Ride quality is smooth and quiet, with low vibration levels. If you need them, we also have weatherproof cabin options with heating and/or air conditioning.
For the perfect illustration of forklift ergonomics, look at our 1.6 to 2.5 tonne reach trucks. They’re ideal for workers who spend long hours in the driving seat. The tilting seat, the right and left armrests, and even the floor height are adjustable to fit each user perfectly. Palm Steering, mounted on the left armrest, allows manoeuvring with minimal effort or movement, from a relaxed body position. A multifunctional joystick, mounted on the other armrest, is similarly ergonomic. It can be optionally replaced by a fingertip control unit.
We give the same level of thought and innovation to meeting the needs of all workers. That’s true whether they’re operating the largest or smallest of materials handling machines. For instance, our tiller-operated warehouse trucks, including pedestrian and platform power pallets and stackers, all feature the class-leading and patented, ergonomic, emPower tiller head.
Low noise and vibration levels are important in every Cat product. On our platform power pallet trucks and stackers, for example, we build high-comfort damping into the floor. Fixed platform models also offer the option of electrically adjusting the damping according to the operator’s weight. For our platform power pallets, we have developed the revolutionary ProRide+ system. This simultaneously maintains traction, damping and stability, even on wet or irregular surfaces or when cornering.
Sustainable logistics
The high energy efficiency and zero tailpipe emissions of our electric counterbalance and warehouse trucks help to shrink carbon footprints. Li-ion batteries are even more efficient. We contribute further to sustainability through the durability of our lift trucks and their components. It means less frequent replacement of trucks and worn parts, and therefore less energy and material consumption in manufacture.
Constant support from Cat lift truck dealers
Wherever you are, our dealers are ready and fully equipped to support you. Their deep understanding will ensure the perfect choice and combination of lift trucks for your application. What’s more, their mobile engineers will keep them working at peak performance through expert routine preventative maintenance and rapid response to any emergency. They have access to the fastest parts supply operation in the business.
One of the many advantages of Cat solutions is our common component strategy. High levels of component sharing between ranges maximise parts availability. This means much higher first-time fix rates, less downtime and lower related costs. By cutting the number of service-related journeys, we also shrink your carbon footprint even further.
Together, we and our dealers will ensure you have everything you need. Choose Cat forklifts and services for productive, efficient and cost-effective materials handling in the food and beverage industry.
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