What is a Walkie Stacker?

Can a Walkie Stacker do the job in your warehouse?

Walkie stackers are a terrific way to move merchandise around your warehouse at an affordable price. There is an assortment of styles to accomplish your specific task at hand. Walkie stackers are electric powered or manual, carrying palletized material to a storage destination. Walkie stacker models are available that have a mast just as a forklift to stack pallets. So what is a walkie stacker anyway?

This type of lift equipment is designed for indoor use and are best operated on flat concrete floors. Best used for small warehouses, tight operating conditions, storerooms, or where a larger forklift is not a good option.

Advantages of a Walkie Stacker

Walkie stackers have a few advantages over the traditional forklift truck. They are easy to use and require no forklift license to operate for the walk behind models. Walkie stackers require a minimum investment and have a low cost of operation. Being manual or electric, they also meet green energy requirements for your business.

In addition, these machines are easy to maneuver and are ideal for operating in tight spaces. Due to their smaller size when compared to forklifts and other materials handling equipment, they offer greater visibility for the operator.

Which style is right for you?

There are five types of walkie stackers. Each style is designed for a particular application. The major difference between them is how each distributes the load. For example, one may have front legs, another straddle legs, and a third counter-balance weight.

1. Walkie Straddle Stacker – The most common type of walkie stacker, they use legs to help distribute the weight. The legs allow them to straddle a pallet, so that the stacker can drive up closer to a pallet without requiring as much space. Walkie straddle stackers are most commonly used for low to mid-level selective racking applications, such as storerooms, small warehouses or customer zone racking areas.
2. Walkie Reach Stacker – Similar in design to the straddle stacker, the reach stacker also includes a pantograph scissor mast. This allows the mast to move the load away from the lift. Most commonly used in loading trailers, utility vehicles and trucks. Walkie reach stackers can also be used in mid-level applications as in the straddle stacker.
3. Ride-on Walkie Stacker – The only walkie stacker that requires an operator license due to the ability for the operator to actually ride on the platform of the lift. Ride-on walkie stackers are similar to the standard walkie stacker in capabilities and application levels.
4. Counter-Balance Walkie Stacker – Using counter-balance weight to distribute the load, the counter-balance walkie stacker is able to operate in narrower aisles due to the absence of legs outside of the unit. They are also able to lift standard pallets, unlike standard walkie stackers with front legs. Counter-balance walkie stackers are longer and need more area for turning than other stackers. The counter-balance stacker has the highest lifting mast of all units.
5. Standard Walkie Stacker – Standard Walkie Stackers use legs that sit under the forks to distribute load weight allowing them to lift two pallets at one time. This makes them ideal for applications that require transportation and lifting of pallets. They also require the least amount of space for turning. Due to the position of the legs under the forks, they are limited to the types of pallets and containers they are able to lift.

Walkie Stackers offer an affordable option or addition to your storefront, warehouse, or storeroom. With a small investment you can expand your operating potential by adding extra handling capacity for order fulfillment or provide backup for your current lift equipment.

Gregory Poole Lift Systems can help evaluate your current situation or help you plan for a new investment in your lift equipment needs. Contact us today for a free evaluation.