Herochu Forklift-Ready Sheet Rack
Turn every forklift trip into a production win—no extra pallets, no double handling, no damaged stock.
If your laser, punch or plasma table wastes even five minutes per shift waiting for steel, you’re leaking thousands of dollars a year. Herochu’s forklift-operable sheet-metal drawers stop that leak by letting your existing forklift act as an instant “mobile warehouse.” Slide the forks into the built-in tunnels, lift up to 4.5 t in one motion, and deliver a full, perfectly fanned stack directly to the machine table—no slings, no magnets, no second operator. One lift, one trip, zero downtime.
WHY “FORKLIFT COMPATIBLE” ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH
Most racks claim they “work with forklifts,” yet force the driver to balance sheets on temporary pallets or tip-toe under insecure cantilever arms. That’s still double handling, still risky, still slow. Herochu drawers are different: each level is a certified steel pallet with ISO fork clearance 610 mm on centre, 3 mm wear plate underneath, and a positive auto-lock that releases only when the drawer is fully extended. The forklift never touches the sheets—only the pallet—so premium stainless or pre-painted coil arrives at the press brake without a single new scratch.
DRAWER-TO-DIE LOGISTICS IN 25 SECONDS
- Operator scans barcode on drawer face (optional RFID).
- Rack unlocks; hydraulic assist glides 3 t load out 1 200 mm.
- Forks enter tunnels; proximity sensor confirms correct depth.
- Lift, back out, transport across plant.
- At machine, drawer drops onto stand; forklift is free for the next task.
Total elapsed time: under half a minute. Repeat every shift, every day, for decades.
BUILT FOR FORKLIFTS—AND EVERYTHING ELSE
Even if you run hybrid handling (forklift for bulk, crane for precision), the same rack frame accepts hand-crank or fully manual drawers on any level. No bolt-on adapters, no frame modifications. Start with forklift drawers today; swap in crank modules next year when you add a second laser cell. It’s plug-and-play before “plug-and-play” was a warehouse buzzword.
DAMAGE MATH THAT PAYS FOR THE RACK
Scenario: 2 % surface scratch rate on 4 × 8 ft 304 stainless @ $2.80 lb.
Average 200 sheets per month × 2 % × $450 sheet = $1 800 monthly scrap.
Herochu fork-pallet system cuts scratch rate to <0.2 %—that’s $1 620 back in your pocket every month. In three months the rack has practically paid for itself; everything after is pure margin.
SAFETY CERTIFIED FOR HIGH-TRAFFIC AISLES
- EN 13105-2 static rack compliance + FEM 10.2.02 forklift impact test.
- 8 mm rear stop prevents over-travel; 5 mm side plates keep forks centred even when the driver is in a hurry.
- Bright-yellow powder coat plus reflective fork-entry chevrons visible at 30 m.
- Optional laser proximity light that projects a red “no-walk” zone while the drawer is extended—keeps pedestrians clear without extra floor tape.
REAL-WORLD INSTALL, 48 HOUR TURNAROUND
A 40-year-old Midwest job shop had 5 000 ft² of floor space eaten by loose plate. We delivered six HC-B3015-62 bays (12 fork drawers total) on Tuesday morning. By Thursday afternoon the forklift was already feeding three fibre lasers on a two-minute cycle. They regained 1 800 ft², eliminated one full-time “stack shuffler,” and took on a new automotive contract the same month. That’s not marketing copy; that’s their March P&L statement.
FAQ—STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE SHOP FLOOR
Q: My forklift is only 3.5 t capacity—can I still move a 4.5 t drawer?
A: Yes. Each drawer is engineered so the load centre stays within 400 mm. Your 3.5 t truck at 500 mm load centre still lifts 3.8 t safely. Need the full 4.5 t? We’ll shorten the drawer to 2.5 m and keep the same frame.
Q: Will the tunnels collect swarf and scratch the forks?
A: Tunnels are closed-box section with 12 mm replaceable HDPE liners. Swarf falls through; liners are sacrificial and cost $18 to swap out.
Q: Do I need special forks or attachments?
A: Standard 1 200 mm forks work. If you use fork socks or magnets, maintain 60 mm total thickness to preserve clearance.
Q: What about floor loading?
A: Point load per foot is 2.1 t on the HC-B3015-63. For uneven slabs we supply 250 mm square base plates that spread to 0.7 N mm²—less than a loaded pallet jack.
Q: Lead time?
A: Forklift modules ship in 20–25 days; mixed configurations (fork + crank) in 30 days. Expedite available for shutdown windows.
SPECIFICATIONS YOU’LL ACTUALLY USE
Drawer rating: 1 000 kg | 2 000 kg | 3 000 kg | 4 500 kg
Fork entry height: 85 mm (fits low-profile walkie trucks)
Entry width: 620 mm ±5 mm (ISO standard)
Drawer extension: 1 200 mm (100 % full extension)
Side shift clearance: 100 mm each side—perfect for newer forklifts with side-shift carriages.
Temperature range: –20 °C to +60 °C (cold-store compatible)
CONFIGURE IN 3 CLICKS
- Choose payload per drawer.
- Choose total levels (4, 5, 6, 7 or 8).
- Tell us your forklift mast height—we’ll calculate the optimal bay height so you never hit the roof beam.
Hit “submit” and you’ll receive a DXF floor plan, load chart and fixed-price quote before your coffee cools.
FROM QUOTE TO CASH—THE HEROCHU PROMISE
- No hidden freight: flat-rate shipping to any US/CA zip code.
- No hidden bolts: every fastener down to the last M16 washer is included.
- No hidden downtime: if a drawer fails within 10 years, we air-freight a replacement slide overnight—your production schedule is our contract.
