Advantages and disadvantages of pallet stacker

Advantages and disadvantages

When it comes to deciding whether to deploy a stacker there are many positives (and a few important negatives) to be aware of.

These include-

Low barrier to entry: Pallet stackers are designed to be simple to use. Larger mechanical items will require specialist skills training to operate, whereas a stacker user can be trained by other members of staff or through a dedicated in-house team. Simple and straightforward, users can be trained in one session, preventing knowledge loss due to staff turnover.

Flexible and effective: Stackers are nimble by design and lend themselves to being used in a variety of professional environments. This means that they can be retained if your company pivots its business or deals with a broad range of products. This means that pallet stackers are effectively future-proof and an investment in one can see it providing benefits for years to come.

Affordable: One of the most cost-effective warehouse items, pallet stackers sit at the halfway point between a flat jack and a larger forklift. Set at an affordable price point, they are cheap to add to your transport chain and allow you to initially rent and provide a test-case to see if you would benefit before purchasing more. They also work to drive efficiencies throughout your supply chain and are much less expensive than purchasing more intensive machinery.

Maintenance: While pallet stackers have mechanical components, all quality models are designed with ease of maintenance in mind. Ongoing checks are simple, and parts are often cheap or easy to access and replace. This is doubly effective when considering forklift trucks that require regular steady maintenance and enjoy a shorter shelf-life than pallet stackers.

Initial coat: While pallet stackers marry cost effectiveness and convenience, there is still a significant outlay for them. Finding the right model for your specific needs is essential and – while it is standard practice to carry out due diligence on your business – researching the right stacker requires a little graft. This can be time-consuming and requires you to check and adjust your established working practice – often causing a significant initial outlay – making it helpful to work with a reliable company to advise you on a suitable model.

Training and caution: While pallet stackers are relatively simple to use, they will still require training for your staff to deploy them and remain fully OSHA compliant. As pallet stackers use electric motors to mitigate weight and allow you to travel at speed, this can make them difficult to stop and they are likely to build momentum when carrying large objects. This can be dangerous to other members of staff and introduce elements of risk which should be weighed up before making a purchase.