The Humanic reach truck.

Rocla Oyj has introduced the Humanic reach truck range, calling it, "Rocla's most significant product launch ever".

Manufactured in Järvenpää for the European market, the Humanic range comes in load capacities of 1.4 tonnes, 1.6 tonnes, 2.0 tonnes and 2.5 tonnes. The maximum lift height is 11.5 metres and the turning radius varies from 1.547 metres to 1.749 metres.

Rocla spokesperson Sipilä-Heikura Mia said reach trucks were the "flagship products of warehouse forklift companies", accounting for about 30 per cent of the total value of the European warehouse forklift market. Finnish-based Rocla has been manufacturing warehouse materials handling equipment since 1950. Its first reach truck was introduced in 1975.

The Humanic reach trucks replace the Boomerang range, introduced in 2000. A main difference between the two was the integral mast in the Humanic compared to the Boomerang's traditional mast construction (Forkliftaction.com News #191).

"The innovation of the integral mast enabled new features and advantages in the Humanic range. No other Rocla product development project has been through such wide studies and usability tests," said.

Forklift drivers, maintenance staff, supervisors and Rocla's European resellers were interviewed during the extensive survey conducted for the Humanic range. Experienced and novice forklift drivers were asked to test the reach truck during its development. The integral mast introduced in 2005, has undergone 7,500 hours of testing over 48 months.

Since the integral mast has more compact dimensions, the Humanic's driver compartment is 50mm larger than the Boomerang's. That enabled ergonomic features like adjustable arm rests and seat positions.

Rocla solutions & services president Markus Alholm said the Humanic forklift was an "intelligent truck" because it had 30 driver settings and Rocla's Abbot Inside diagnostics tool to monitor forklift use (Forkliftaction.com News #195).

The base of the Humanic is 40 per cent sturdier than the Boomerang, "thanks to the box body construction of the truck base", Mia said.