Amid the rapid growth of warehouse activity, Combilift has launched its first dedicated stand-on electric-powered order pickers, the Aisle Master-OP. The new model combines the advantages of a narrow-aisle articulated forklift and an order picker for versatile operation in warehousing applications.

The development of this model was influenced by customer feedback - as has often been the case with Combilift's innovations - as well as the recent soaring growth of e-commerce. "Customers already using the Aisle Master for space saving, storage and efficiency in their warehouse asked if we could redevelop the Aisle Master to meet their ever-growing demand for order picking customised orders," says Combilift CEO Martin McVicar.

Research and development carried out in 2019 and 2020 has created the Aisle Master-OP. The main feature of this unit is the step-through operator compartment which has design copyright protection across multiple markets worldwide. The low floor height of just 280 mm enables convenient, single-step access from both sides of the truck, which speeds up order picking compared to the operator having to get on and off from a seated position. The AME-OP truck has all the key advantages of the conventional Aisle Master - indoor/outdoor, for loading/offloading and for stock replenishment at other times during shifts when order picking is complete.

The Aisle Master-OP is available in a number of variants, with lift capacities from 1,500 kg to 2,500 kg and lift heights up to 12.1m, and can operate in aisles as narrow as 1,650 mm.

"Before we officially launch any new model, Combilift carries out extensive field testing on customers' sites; this was the case with the Aisle Master-OP," McVicar adds. The AME-OP is now a production model within Combilift, with units currently in build for customers in the United States and in New Zealand, including Sorted Logistics based in Christchurch, New Zealand, a third-party logistics provider and freight forwarder which will be receiving eight AME-OP units shortly.

"This is a major innovation in the warehousing sector and the versatility to use the one Aisle Master for multiple applications - narrow aisle operation, truck to rack handling, bulk picking and item order picking - will result in strong demand for this new product in our home and export markets around the world," says McVicar.