Hopper Attachments Make Collecting Materials Simple and Efficient

Photo courtesy of Jacob Dickinson (via flickr.com)

Hopper forklift attachments are like containers that can be attached to the forks on lift trucks, allowing them to be easily moved throughout a business. They are used to collect everything from finished products to recyclable waste products to garbage.

While there also are freestanding hoppers on casters that can be pushed manually from area to area, the benefit of forklift-mounted hoppers is that they can move very heavy loads easily. They also provide improved control over fully filled hoppers, allowing operators to drive them to dumpsters, recycling stations, or anywhere within a business.

Types of Hopper Attachments

Hopper attachments for forklifts come in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and designs.

There are self-dumping hoppers that can be tilted forward so that their contents can be dumped into a container, a rail car, a compactor, or a trash dumpster. Many include hydraulics that can be connected to the forklift so that the operator can empty the attachment without having to leave the vehicle’s cabin.

Low-profile hopper attachments for forklifts have walls that aren’t as high as standard hoppers, allowing items to be dropped or removed more easily, such as in a picking and sorting operation. They also can be used around machinery to catch aluminum shavings or overflow of materials.

Steel chute hoppers feature a small gate at the bottom that can be operated by the forklift driver. When opened via a chain latch, bumper release, or hydraulic lever, the force of gravity causes the items within the hopper to fall out the bottom. They are often used in businesses that are short on space.

There are even non-traditional hopper attachments for forklifts such as those made out of fabric. Some food manufacturing operations use stainless steel hoppers to improve sanitation and to meet federal food handling guidelines.

Manual Hoppers vs. Forklift Mounted

One of the biggest benefits of hopper forklift attachments is that they are removable when not needed. That means that they can sit safely out of the way until you are ready to employ them within your operation.

Most forklift hopper attachments feature cuffs that slide directly onto the lift trucks’ forks, while more heavy duty versions can be attached directly to the mast.

Lifting, moving, and dumping a variety of products and materials is easier when you use hopper forklift attachments. To find the hopper forklift attachment that is best for your business, visit the ForkliftAccessories.com website.

 

 

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