Reach Truck Singapore

A reach truck lifts pallets high in narrow warehouse aisles. M&C supplies, rents (from $500/month) and services reach trucks in Singapore across Toyota, BYD and Zowell.

What is a reach truck?

A reach truck is a warehouse forklift built to work in narrower aisles and lift higher than a normal counterbalance truck. The forks "reach" out beyond the wheelbase to place a pallet into the rack, so the truck itself stays compact. It sits between a counterbalance forklift and a VNA truck.

When to use a reach truck

Choose a reach truck when you store on high racks but do not need the extreme aisle savings of VNA. It is the workhorse of most Singapore warehouses: high enough, narrow enough, and flexible enough to move between zones.

Range and brands

We supply reach trucks from Toyota, BYD, Zowell and other trusted brands, in a range of capacities and mast heights. Tell us your rack height and aisle width and we will spec the right one.

Rent or buy

Reach trucks rent from $500 a month, servicing included, or you can buy new or used. Rent for a project or peak season, buy for steady long-term work.

Servicing

Our own workshop services all reach truck brands, with PM contracts from $80 a visit and fast breakdown response.

Reach truck vs VNA

If your aisles are tight and you want maximum storage, compare against VNA. We break it down in VNA vs reach truck, or see the VNA forklift page.

Will a reach truck actually fit your warehouse?

Three things decide it, and two of them are about the building rather than the truck. Get these wrong and the machine is the wrong machine no matter how good it is.

Aisle width — measure what you have, not what the plan says

A reach truck needs roughly 2.7 to 3.0m of clear working aisle. That is measured between the pallets that overhang the racking, not between the rack uprights, and the two are not the same number. Pallets stick out. Measure at the narrowest point in the aisle, and measure it loaded, because a pallet that overhangs on one side eats the clearance on the other.

If the honest number is under about 2.6m, a reach truck will be a daily fight and you are looking at a VNA truck instead.

Ceiling height, and the height you can actually use

The usable height is not the ceiling height. Sprinklers, lighting, ducting and the beam depth of the roof all take a share, and you need clearance above the top pallet. Work from the underside of the lowest obstruction, then take off the pallet height and the clearance the racking design requires.

Floor flatness — the one nobody checks until it is too late

The higher you lift, the more a small dip in the floor turns into a large sway at the top of the mast. A floor that is perfectly acceptable for a counterbalance truck working at 3m can make a 10m lift feel unsafe. If the slab is old, patched, or was poured for a different use, get it checked before committing to a high mast. This is the single most common reason a high-lift installation disappoints.

Lift height cuts capacity — and it is not a small effect

A reach truck's rated capacity is quoted at a particular height and load centre. Lift higher and the safe load falls away, sometimes by a lot. A truck sold as a 1.6 tonne machine may be well under that near the top of its mast.

The number that matters is on the truck's own capacity plate, which lists the safe load at each height for that exact mast. Read the plate on the machine you are being offered, not the brochure for the model. Two trucks with the same model number and different masts have different plates.

If your heaviest pallets go to the top beam, say so early. It changes which truck you need and it is much cheaper to discover now than after delivery.

Batteries and charging

Reach trucks are electric, always — they are indoor machines and diesel exhaust indoors is a health and safety problem, not a preference. So the battery plan is part of the truck decision.

• One shift: charge overnight and a single battery is usually enough.
• Two or three shifts: you need either a spare battery and a changing station, or a lithium truck with opportunity charging. Both cost money and both need space. Decide before you buy, not after.
• Charging area: lead-acid charging needs ventilation and a designated area. Lithium does not need battery changing at all, which is often the real saving rather than the energy cost.

We wrote up the trade-off in full: lithium or lead acid.

What we need to spec one properly

• Clear aisle width at the narrowest point
• Height to the lowest obstruction, and the top beam height you need to reach
• Heaviest pallet weight, and whether it goes to the top level
• How many shifts, and whether there is space for battery changing
• Whether the floor is original or has been patched

Send those five and we can tell you whether a reach truck is right before anyone comes out.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a reach truck and a forklift?

A standard counterbalance forklift carries the load in front and needs a wide aisle. A reach truck reaches its forks out to place pallets in high racks, so it works in narrower aisles and lifts higher.

How high can a reach truck lift?

Reach trucks lift up to around 12.5m depending on the model, higher than a counterbalance forklift.

Reach truck or VNA, which do I need?

Choose a reach truck for high-bay racking with moderate aisle savings. Choose VNA when aisles are very tight and you want maximum storage density.

Do you rent reach trucks?

Yes, reach trucks rent from $500 per month with servicing included, island-wide.

Which reach truck brands do you carry?

Toyota, BYD, Zowell and other trusted brands, in a range of capacities and mast heights.

How much does a reach truck cost?

Rental starts from $500 a month. Purchase price depends on new or used, brand, capacity and mast height. WhatsApp us for a quote.

How wide does an aisle need to be for a reach truck?

Roughly 2.7 to 3.0m of clear working aisle. Measure between the pallets that overhang the racking, not between the rack uprights, because pallets stick out and the two numbers are not the same. Measure at the narrowest point. If the honest figure is under about 2.6m, you are looking at a VNA truck rather than a reach truck.

Does a reach truck lift less at height?

Yes, and often by a lot. Rated capacity is quoted at a particular height and load centre, and the safe load falls as the mast goes up. The number that matters is on the capacity plate of the exact machine, because two trucks with the same model number and different masts have different plates. If your heaviest pallets go to the top beam, say so before you choose a truck.

Does the floor matter for a reach truck?

More than most buyers expect. The higher you lift, the more a small dip in the floor becomes a large sway at the top of the mast. A slab that is fine for a counterbalance truck at 3m can make a 10m lift feel unsafe. If the floor is old or patched, have it checked before committing to a high mast.

Do reach trucks need a spare battery?

On one shift, no - charge overnight and a single battery is usually enough. On two or three shifts you need either a spare battery and a changing station, or a lithium truck with opportunity charging. Both need space as well as money, so decide before you buy rather than after.