Yale announces attachment-ready lift truck line

Lift truck vendor Yale Materials Handling Corp. on Tuesday unveiled a line of forklifts designed to streamline the attachment of specialized material handling devices, saying the improved integration could help users avoid delays and malfunctions.

Greenville, N.C.-based Yale said its "attachment-ready" trucks are engineered with a modified front end that allows Yale's cushion-tire and pneumatic-tire lift truck models to seamlessly support attachments such as Bolzoni Auramo paper roll and bale clamps.

The new line features a truck-to-clamp interface that ensures attachments use the proper hydraulic hose sizing, hose routing, and hydraulic fittings, according to Yale. The approach helps extend the life of both lift trucks and their attachments by reducing the risk of hydraulic and engine overheating and of engine component stress, the company said.

"Every minute in customer operations is critical," Chris Murtha, Yale brand manager, said in a statement. "They simply can't afford unexpected downtime, and depend on their equipment to be up and running to meet demanding productivity schedules. This is especially true for operations that rely on specialized solutions like clamp-equipped forklifts."