Minimizing Aisle Width to Maximize Storage Space
Is your warehouse space feeling cramped and crowded, and are you looking to optimize your current layout? Earlier this spring, we dove into 5 ways to optimize your warehouse space, which all work together to help free up and uncover square footage you didn’t know you had. Today, we’re taking a deep dive into another warehouse optimizing hack: minimizing aisle width.
06/09/2023
Minimizing Aisle Width
When you minimize aisle width, you make room for more storage opportunities and racking systems. You can store more and leave less unused, unoccupied space that would otherwise go to waste.
However, when we have narrower aisles in our high-density warehouses, we face a unique issue. Many operators find that their lift trucks don’t fit through narrow spaces, and resort to expanding aisle width to accommodate, losing out on square footage that could otherwise be used for storage. We have a solution for just that.
Equipment Designed for Narrow Aisle Width
When trying to find warehouse equipment with high maneuverability to move through tight corners and more narrow aisles, you’ll want to consider narrow aisle lift trucks and equipment, including:
- Narrow aisle lift and reach trucks
- Turret trucks
- Order pickers
Narrow Aisle Lift Trucks
Here at Voss Equipment, we carry equipment designed to optimize your space and maximize your efficiency. One of the keys to maximizing storage space is to maximize vertical space. When we start to store vertically, we need to use reach and lift trucks to move and transport stored goods.
Two narrow aisle lift truck options that we carry include the Bendi Rear Wheel Drive Narrow Aisle Multipurpose Electric Forklift and the Drexel SwingMast Rear Wheel Drive/Steer VNA Warehouse Forklift. The Bendi model is designed for narrow aisles, and the Drexel model has exceptional maneuverability, performing all the jobs of a normal front loading forklift but in aisles over 50% smaller.
We also carry a wide variety of industry-leading Yale Narrow Aisle Reach Trucks. Models NR, NDR-DC, and EC have a 3,000-4,000-lb capacity and are designed to exceed expectations in high-density storage and warehousing environments, allowing operators to move more with less, freeing up floor space.
Very Narrow Aisle Turret Trucks
Here at Voss Equipment, we carry Yale’s Very Narrow Aisle Turret Trucks, which include models NTA 030 and 035SB. A 3,000-3,500-lb capacity, the Yale NTA-SB very narrow aisle series provides exceptional performance and stability in high-density warehouses, and are used in a wide range of industries, from wholesale distribution to health & pharma to furniture & furnishings.
Order Pickers
Order picker forklifts, sometimes referred to as cherry picker lifts, support fast, accurate stock picking. Keep order moving efficiently in tight spaces with models FS030BF, 0S030BF, 0S030EF, and SS030BF. Designed to function efficiently in vertical spaces, order pickers keep your warehouse operation moving efficiently in narrow spaces, allowing you to maximize your storage density without sacrificing equipment maneuverability and processing speeds.
Reach Out to Us
Voss Equipment is your reliable partner for forklift sales, parts, service, warehouse design and optimization, and so much more. As your material handling problem solvers in the Chicago Metro area and Northwest Indiana since 1934, we are ready to assist you in choosing the right equipment for your warehouse space and needs. Reach out to us so we can help you maximize your space and choose the right equipment that will also maximize your uptime.