The TV show “American Ninja Warrior” features competitors attempting to get through a set of obstacle courses. Kevin McWilliams, director of major accounts at Yale Lift Truck Technologies, Greenville, N.C., explains that what beverage delivery drivers endure at delivery sites can sometimes be comparable to an obstacle course.

He elaborates on how carts and hand trucks have adapted to the current beverage delivery market.

“Rather than uniform, carefully planned warehouse facilities, direct-store delivery (DSD) drivers have to navigate dynamic environments that were designed for retail foot traffic and automotive use — not material handling equipment,” McWilliams explains. “Such a specific use case inspired us to create an innovative new design that provides the versatility to excel in dynamic delivery applications. It provides the stability, maneuverability and ergonomic support operators need to stay efficient and productive through each stop.”

Yale recently debuted a new solution at ProMat in Chicago: a two-part system consisting of a small sled nested in a standard pallet jack that can easily undock to facilitate easy restocking in tight retail environments.

“This two-in-one system gives operators a pallet jack that helps them transport heavy loads on lift gates and over rough, uneven surfaces,” McWilliams states. “When maximum maneuverability is required, they can detach the low-profile sled and handle deliveries to small-format customers and take care of stocking in aisles and refrigerators. The emphasis on space efficiency extends to moving to the next delivery stop.”

Because there is only one piece of equipment to move from the trailer to the store, he adds, it takes up less room in the trailer and allows for faster staging and stocking. The detachable sled is designed to work with industry standard pallet designs.

“The motorized configuration features a load wheel that provides a power assist in a highly maneuverable package, giving operators a boost when navigating up inclines or traversing thresholds,” McWilliams says. “It also includes an ergonomic lift that raises the load platform, which helps to expedite the unloading process and minimize the bending and lifting required to remove product from pallets when restocking.”

Meanwhile, Alex Fuerst, product manager at New Bremen, Ohio-based Crown Equipment, describes how pallet jacks have shifted to meet the market.

“Electric pallet jacks provide an efficient method of delivery,” he says. “Most beverage delivery applications require smaller pallet jacks for entry into delivery points. Lighter vehicle weight helps prevent floor damage, and tighter turning radiuses help workers navigate cramped retail locations.”

SKU proliferation also is having an impact on carts, hand trucks and pallet jacks. Fuerst says the growth of SKUs is causing some customers to utilize pallet jacks in ways they previously might not have.

“Order picking with pallet jacks is now becoming a necessity, since customer orders now must account for the significant SKU growth and variation,” he notes. “What used to be a customer order of a pallet containing only a few SKUs has now become an order that consists of numerous SKUs, all custom picked for that customer. Pallet jack performance and intuitive operation are essential in this type of operation.”

Yale’s McWilliams feels that, as consumers continue to demand greater beverage selection, more sizes, more quantities and increased convenience, beverage operations are looking for equipment that can handle and deliver the increased load of SKUs.

“For delivery operators, this means more stops along delivery routes as retailers request smaller-quantity deliveries to keep their wide selection of SKUs replenished, leading to increased operator fatigue from repetitive motion,” he expresses. “And there’s another challenge inherent to the direct-store-delivery experience: navigating uneven and sometimes slippery terrain in store parking lots can bring increased risk of injury.”

With drivers making more frequent delivery stops, McWilliams says that the ergonomic lift on the DSD sled system he mentioned helps reduce the degree of bending and lifting as operators unload and replenish stock at each stop. When activated, he notes that the sled’s forks will rise so the operator does not have to bend as far to pick up trays or cases.

Other trends impacting beverage delivery include the labor-intensive format of DSD, McWilliams notes.

“On the ground, delivery personnel must navigate a variety of environments and terrain, from distribution facilities and parking lots to convenience stores and receiving docks,” he says. “They face a landscape that can resemble an obstacle course during almost every shift, with narrow lift gates, uneven surfaces, congested store entrances, storerooms, coolers and more.”

Crown’s Fuerst notes how powered jacks can serve as a solution to this challenge.

“This means that powered pallet jacks operating in this space must have more battery life or provide for easy charging or battery swaps while on the road,” he says.

Fuerst also points to effects SKU proliferation has on delivery operations and innovations.

“This growth can be challenging for beverage delivery, since drivers must now manage more SKU variation for individual deliveries,” he notes. “Managing this SKU growth and variation in the delivery process requires delivery drivers to have equipment that is both highly maneuverable for working in tight spaces, but also robust and durable enough to handle the demanding over-the-road conditions of beverage delivery.”

Pros and cons

Beverage delivery personnel face potential challenges that hinder their work experience, including the above trends that impact them.

Yale’s McWilliams says that improving the experience of delivery personnel is vital.

“Beverage operations should look for pallet trucks with strong maneuverability, stability and battery life,” he shares. “For example, ergonomic enhancements to the control handle can enable easier maneuverability in stores and on lift gates. For example, with on-hand throttle activation, the operator can stand beside the truck with full end-to-end visibility as they move through tight spaces.”

Other features, such as a load retention strap, also can help with stability when moving loads over rough and poorly maintained parking lots, McWilliams adds.

“Lithium-ion battery power can offer longer runtimes and the ability to opportunity charge in between delivery stops to help power through longer delivery routes,” he states. “Compared to lead-acid battery alternatives, which have complex charging requirements, the ability of lithium-ion batteries to be simply charged in the trailer between deliveries eliminates the need to head back to base for a battery replacement.”

Crown’s Fuerst notes that the increasing age and physical abilities of the workforce and extended time on delivery routes are creating challenges.

“Using electric pallet jacks for delivery provides operators with a more convenient method versus manual pallet jacks,” he says. “Their use can lead to increased productivity and operator comfort that makes delivery less taxing on the body.”

Benefits of using pallet jacks include ease of use, productivity and efficiency, Fuerst shares. Like McWilliams, Fuerst notes that lithium-ion power sources aid in maneuverability and provide longer run time.

“On-board chargers provide convenience when charging is needed at the end of a shift,” he says.

Given labor scarcity and turnover challenges, Yale’s McWilliams states that inexperienced operators are commonplace, and they’re often maneuvering in challenging spaces, navigating in and out of trailers, on the back of lift gates, around tight store corners and in close proximity to pedestrians.

“Working in these limited spaces can slow down productivity and lead to other issues,” he says. “Compact size and efficient operation are essential in these conditions. The aforementioned DSD solution we launched at ProMat is designed around these challenges. It gives operators the ability to detach the smaller-footprint sled from the standard pallet jack to handle work inside tight retail environments.

“Also, to help ease the fatigue from unloading product and restocking inventory in stores, the DSD sled offers an ergonomic load platform that lifts and lowers to reduce the impact of repetitive lifting and bending,” McWilliams continues.

Another challenge of DSD is using industrial equipment in retail environments that might not be designed for the wear and tear of lifting equipment, he says.

“To prevent floor tile damage at stores, manufacturers have been focusing on innovating new equipment to carry pallets of different types and sizes in-stores store environments,” McWilliams explains. “One example is the detachable sled of our DSD solution that is designed around the challenge of avoiding damage to store environments while offering enough capacity to move retail delivery pallet loads.”

At Yale, McWilliams notes that the heart of the company’s design process is getting to know its customers and developing an understanding of the challenges they face and what makes their operations tick. The DSD sled solution is a result of the customer-driven approach, because customers are involved from conception and development to real-world testing and commercialization, he shares.

“It came from a process that looked at the unique and varied demands of DSD,” McWilliams says. “Drivers have a physically demanding job with varied environments, surfaces and other challenges that demand versatility. Navigating door threshold and unimproved outdoor surfaces from truck to in-store applications requires a solution that can easily move around obstacles and through tight spaces, yet is strong enough to withstand the rigors of moving over rough and uneven surfaces like parking lots.”

Going forward, Crown’s Fuerst anticipates the pallet jack industry will continue to address the challenges of today’s delivery environment.

“We expect to see continued improvements in productivity with an emphasis on smaller chassis size, maneuverability, energy efficiency and technology integration,” he concludes. “Robust construction, including generous use of steel, is still a factor in providing long service life.”

As SKU proliferation continues, it is clear that the carts, hand trucks and pallet jack industries will continue to meet the needs of beverage operations.