Material Handling Equipment Guide

Material Handling Equipment & Pallet Jack Information

Material handling equipment is a valuable resource and utility tool for numerous types of businesses- from warehouses to food distributors. These machines directly or indirectly influence everyone's daily lives.

Although almost all material conveyors fall into the material handling equipment category, pallet jacks are the main concern of this page. These versatile devices offer unparalleled maneuverability and can increase the productivity level of a single worker by immeasurable amounts.

Quick Reference: A pallet is a flat structure often made of wood or fiber glass that acts as a level lifting mechanism for increasing the surface area of the forks of a forklift or pallet jack arms. They provide not only this increased width capacity but add a level of stability that is crucial for material handling

What exactly is a pallet jack?

It is a piece of machinery used to lift and move the aforementioned pallets off the ground. However, unlike a regular forklift or other material handling equipment the wheels on a pallet jack are front mounted and are forks extend beyond them. When handling material, the pallet jack is only lifted enough of the ground so that it does not come into contact with it while in motion.

Different Pallet Jack Types

Manual Pallet Jack

A manual pallet jack is a smaller, compact jack powered by the operator who walks behind the material handling device. Generally reserved for smaller jobs, they offer even more maneuverability than their larger counterparts but the disadvantage of being powered by the operator's force alone

Hand Pallet Jack

Hydraulic hand pallet trucks feature a lightweight and ergonomic design that makes for simpler lifting and lowering

Throttle Powered Pallet Jack

Instead of walking behind the material handler, operators of powered pallet jacks (generally powered by a throttle mechanism) are able to stand on a small platform. They allow less maneuverability than the manual pallet jack but are able to lift heavier objects and carry them quickly over larger distances.

Operational Note: As mentioned powered pallet jacks have a simple throttle mechanism that will allow them to move back and forth and have an incredible turning radius for material handling in tight warehouses or construction sites.

Electric Pallet Jacks are powered by batteries that have deep cycle lives. Batteries should be checked regualarly for efficiency. The added envioronmental conscience benefit that electric pallet jacks offer the material handling equipment industry is extremely attractive.