Bendi and Flexi (Articulated) Forklift training in London
The truck that bends in the middle. An articulated front end lets one machine unload the lorry in the yard and stack in very narrow aisles inside.
About articulated forklifts
Articulated forklifts, known to most people by the Bendi and Flexi brand names (Aisle-Master and Narrow Aisle make them too), pivot between the front mast section and the rear chassis. The front end swings through about 180 degrees, so the truck can drive down an aisle not much wider than a reach truck needs and then turn only its mast to face the racking.
What sets them apart from a reach truck is that they have no straddle legs and are built for the yard as well as the warehouse. The same machine can take a pallet off a trailer in the rain, bring it inside and put it away at height. For a lot of London businesses, the cash and carries of Southall, Wembley and Edmonton, the drinks and catering wholesalers of Park Royal and Bermondsey, the fabric and homeware importers of Tottenham and Barking, that saves buying, insuring and finding floor space for two trucks, and it lets them rack a building that was never designed for it.
The handling is unlike anything else, which is why it has its own certificate. The truck steers from the articulation, so the rear swings out in a way counterbalance drivers do not expect, and the load is carried offset while the mast is turned. The course spends real time on articulation control, side-loading technique and reading the load chart at height.
What the course covers
- Pre-use checks including the articulation joint and mast
- Steering through the articulation and rear-end swing
- Turning the mast into racking and side-loading pallets
- Stacking at height in narrow aisles
- Loading and unloading vehicles in the yard
- Charging or refuelling, parking and shutdown
On site, on your truck, anywhere in London
We bring an accredited instructor to your premises in any London borough or surrounding town. You provide the truck and a safe working area; we provide the theory material, test papers and the HSE-recognised certificate. Novice Forklift Training, Semi-Experienced Forklift Training, Refresher Forklift Training, Conversion Forklift Training are all available for this truck.
Other truck categories
Counterbalance Forklift, Reach Truck, Double Deep Reach Truck, 4-Way (Multi-Directional) Reach Truck, VNA Truck (Man-Up and Man-Down), Pivot Steer Truck, Powered Pallet Truck, Pedestrian Stacker Truck, Telehandler (Telescopic Handler), Order Picker (Low, Medium and High Level), Rough Terrain (Masted) Counterbalance, Side Loader.
Bendi and Flexi (Articulated) Forklift training questions
Is a Bendi certificate the same as a counterbalance certificate?
No. Articulated trucks are their own category. A counterbalance or reach operator can convert in one to two days, but they do need the conversion course.
Do you train on Flexi, Aisle-Master and Narrow Aisle trucks as well as Bendi?
Yes. The certificate is for articulated counterbalance lift trucks regardless of brand.
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