Manual or electric pallet truck: which one suits you?

What a pallet truck is (and what people call it)

A pallet truck slides two forks under the pallet, lifts it a few centimeters off the floor and moves it. In Central America it's called patín, patín hidráulico, zorra, pallet or carretilla hidráulica; in English, pallet jack or pallet truck. It's the highest-turnover machine in a warehouse: loading and unloading trailers, docks, aisles and sales floors.

It only clears the load off the floor. According to Hangcha's datasheets, the HC manual pallet truck lifts up to 115 mm and the A mini electric up to 120 mm: just enough to move the pallet, not to stack it.

Manual: when it's enough

The manual unit is pumped with the handle to raise the load and pushed by hand. It makes sense when trips are few and short, the floor is flat and smooth, and the average load is well below the maximum. It needs no battery or charger, and maintenance is basic: check the pump, hydraulic oil and wheels.

The catalog has two brands in all four countries. SIMAQ manual pallet jacks—the group's own brand—come in 2,000, 2,500 and 3,000 kg: according to its datasheet, the SQ25T685PM works between 85 and 200 mm with 685 × 1,220 mm forks. The Hangcha HC manual pallet truck covers 2 to 3 t.

The limit is the operator's body: starting, stopping and turning 2 tonnes by hand many times a day tires and injures. If the whole shift is moving pallets, the manual unit stops being cheap.

Electric: walk-behind, stand-on or rider

The electric unit lifts and travels with a motor; the operator just guides it. There are three formats, and distance decides.

For all of them, check capacity, ramp braking and aisle width. Hangcha states, for example, that the XA mini lithium unit has anti-rollback on ramps and an emergency reverse button, and that the X rider climbs 10% grades with 2 t of load.

• Walk-behind: short and medium runs, trailers and stores. Hangcha A mini 2 t: 48 V brushless motor, 6 h battery and built-in charger, per its datasheet.
• Stand-on: medium runs with many stops. Hangcha XA stand-on, 2 t and 125 mm.
• Rider (seated): long aisles and distribution centers. Hangcha A rider, 2–3 t and 125 mm; the X rider reaches 9.5 km/h according to Hangcha.

Lead-acid or lithium battery

A lead-acid battery costs less up front, but needs full charges, cool-down time and, if not sealed, watering and a ventilated charging area. Gel versions, like the one on the Hangcha A mini III, need no maintenance per its datasheet.

Lithium costs more up front, but charges fast, accepts opportunity charging at lunch or between shifts and needs no watering. According to Hangcha, its high-range A lithium pallet truck fully charges in 2 hours and keeps more than 75% capacity after 4,000 cycles. Rule of thumb: one shift with long breaks, lead-acid or gel; two shifts or heavy use, lithium.

Wheels, floor and pallets

Polyurethane wheels are quiet, grip better and protect the floor; nylon wheels roll with less effort under heavy loads on smooth floors, but are noisier and punish delicate floors. On broken or jointed floors any pallet truck suffers: there, the Hangcha A rough-terrain 1.5 t electric unit, which lifts up to 250 mm per its datasheet, is the option.

Measure your pallets before buying. The forks' lowered height must fit the pallet entry—75 mm on the SIMAQ SQ20T550PM, 85 mm on the SQ25T685PM—, the length must cover the pallet and the load rollers can't land on the bottom boards. If you weigh while moving, Hangcha has a 1.5–2 t lithium pallet truck with a built-in scale; and for heavy loads, the 4–6 t A series.

When to step up to a stacker or forklift

A pallet truck moves; it doesn't stack. If you need to put the pallet on a rack, a workbench or a truck bed without a dock, the next step is a stacker: Hangcha has electric and lithium stackers from 0.8 to 2 t, and SIMAQ a 1,000 kg manual stacker and a 1,500 kg triple-mast electric one, according to their datasheets.

If you also stack high all day, load trucks in a yard or work on outdoor floors, it's forklift work. The forklift vs. skid steer guide helps you decide.

How an electric pallet truck works

This official Hangcha video shows the A-series electric pallet truck in use: the handle, the lift and maneuvering in tight spaces.

Where to buy or rent a pallet truck in Central America

Grupo ConstruMarket offers Hangcha pallet trucks—manual, electric and lithium—and SIMAQ manual pallet jacks in El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. Price depends on capacity, format (manual, walk-behind or rider), battery and payment method: request a quote and an advisor will contact you during business hours. Light equipment can be paid in installments with participating credit cards.

If you need one for a season, RentaCentro, a group company, has the SIMAQ SQ25T685PM manual pallet jack in its fleet.

• El Salvador: Zaragoza, Antiguo Cuscatlán and San Miguel.
• Guatemala (CMARKET): Mixco, Río Hondo and Xela.
• Nicaragua: Managua. Panama: Panama City.