Here’s a mental picture: your warehouse floor is buzzing with activity, yet your order pickers are stuck in a pattern of inefficiency. Employees move seemingly endless miles through cramped aisles, climb ladders repeatedly, and struggle with awkward equipment that simply wasn't designed for current high-density storage environments. Stock chasers offer a targeted solution to these operational challenges, overhauling how your team navigates, selects, and transports materials in space-constrained facilities.

What Exactly Is a Stock Chaser?

A stock chaser is a small, stand-on electric vehicle built for order picking and material movement in narrow aisles. Different from traditional forklifts that demand a large turning radius and substantial aisle space, these maneuverable vehicles move through spaces as tight as ordinary doorways while delivering substantial payload capacities.

Addressing Your Operational Challenges

Narrow Aisle Navigation Made Simple

Contemporary warehouses often feature a narrow aisle approach to maximize storage density, with some facilities featuring aisles as narrow as 8–10 feet. Stock chasers shine in these settings, enabling operators to navigate efficiently without the spatial constraints that restrict traditional material handling equipment.

Ergonomic Design Reduces Worker Fatigue

The upright operator platform helps alleviate the physical strain caused by constant entering and exiting with seated vehicles. Optional ladders offer safe access to elevated shelving, eliminating the need for additional ladder fetching and setup. This integrated approach dramatically cuts down on the time and effort required for above-shoulder picking tasks.

Enhanced Productivity Through Speed and Agility

With travel speeds up to 8 mph and excellent turning capability, stock chasers enable faster order completion compared to manual travel or using awkward alternatives. The compact design enables operators to turn quickly, reducing travel time between pick locations and allowing for more efficient route optimization.

Real-World Applications and Benefits

Improved Order Picking Efficiency

Order picking accounts for the majority of average warehouse labor hours and nearly 55% of operating costs. Stock chasers target this challenge by offering a platform that accompanies the picker, eliminating repeated trips between storage locations and staging areas. Spacious cargo decks provide space for multiple orders or bulk goods while maintaining stability in transit.

Cost-Effective Alternative to Traditional Equipment

While reach trucks and narrow aisle lift trucks are necessary in high-lift scenarios, stock chasers deliver a cost-effective solution for floor-level and low-level picking operations. Their low purchase price, simple design, and minimal training requirements make them an attractive option for facilities seeking immediate productivity improvements.

Integration with Modern Warehouse Operations

Stock chasers work with existing warehouse management systems and can fit into various picking methodologies. Whether you use batch, wave, or zone picking, these vehicles adjust to allow streamlined processes. Their compact size allows multiple units to operate simultaneously without the traffic congestion challenges typical of larger machines.

Making the Implementation Decision

When considering stock chasers for your operation, factor in your current pain points with order picking efficiency, aisle width constraints, and worker ergonomics. These vehicles particularly benefit facilities with many picking cycles, multiple SKUs requiring frequent access, and space limitations that rule out bulkier pieces of equipment.

The Motrec stock chasers offered by Raymond West feature proven durability and capability, with payload and towing ranges for almost any warehouse task. This versatility makes them ideal for more than order picking alone, including parts transport, service operations, and light manufacturing applications.

Transform Your Warehouse Operations Today

Stock chasers represent more than just another piece of equipment, they're a strategic investment in operational efficiency, worker safety, and bottom-line performance.

Discover how stock chasers could change your warehouse operation. Contact Raymond West today to review your needs and find out how Motrec stock chasers can provide measurable gains for your warehouse efficiency.

Raymond West's Santa Barbara County service area includes Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Santa Barbara Material Handling Equipment Supplier

Santa Barbara County, CA
(805) 749-2777