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Order pickers and hand trucks are essential assets in the UK Materials Handling Equipment (MHE)
sector, supporting efficient picking, replenishment, and smaller-scale movement of goods across
warehouses, retail distribution, manufacturing stores, and healthcare logistics environments. While
forklifts and pallet trucks handle bulk palletised loads, order pickers and hand trucks play a
different but equally important role: enabling fast, accurate retrieval of individual items and
cartons from racking, shelving, and picking locations.
As the UK economy continues to be shaped by e-commerce fulfilment, high SKU (stock keeping unit)
warehousing, and just-in-time inventory practices, businesses increasingly rely on order pickers and
hand trucks to reduce handling time, improve picking accuracy, and maintain safe workflows in busy
storage environments.
Order pickers are specialist warehouse trucks designed to lift an operator to the height of storage
racking so items can be picked directly from shelves and prepared for dispatch. They are widely used
in UK distribution centres and fulfilment operations where high picking volumes and rapid order
turnaround are required.
Order pickers support key tasks such as:
In many UK warehouses, order pickers are critical to achieving fast fulfilment times and maintaining
high picking accuracy, particularly where goods are stored in narrow aisles and high racking.
Hand trucks are smaller-scale handling tools designed to move cartons, parcels, crates, and lighter
loads quickly and safely. In the UK MHE sector, they are used across warehouses, retail stockrooms,
manufacturing sites, hospitality deliveries, and healthcare settings where flexibility and compact
handling are required.
Hand trucks are typically used for:
While simple in design, hand trucks support critical day-to-day movement and can significantly reduce
manual handling injury risk when deployed correctly.
Order pickers and hand trucks are commonly used across a wide range of UK sectors, including:
Order pickers, powered warehouse trucks, and specialist handling equipment can often be financed via
asset finance to preserve working capital. This is particularly useful for businesses:
Gable Business Finance arranges flexible funding solutions such as hire purchase, leasing, and
refinance for eligible powered handling equipment, helping UK businesses invest in the assets that
support efficient picking and internal logistics.
The following fifteen case studies demonstrate how Gable Business Finance has assisted UK businesses
across the Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) sector to acquire order pickers and hand
trucks (including pallet jacks and pump trucks). These examples reflect real operational
requirements across warehousing, logistics, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and distribution,
using the most commonly purchased makes and models in the UK market.
A national e-commerce retailer operating a high-throughput fulfilment centre in the Midlands required
high-level order pickers to support rapid picking across multi-tier racking.
The business selected Toyota Optio high-reach order pickers (12m+ lift height) due to
their ergonomic design and reliability in continuous operation. Gable Business Finance arranged a
leasing solution covering new trucks, allowing the client to deploy the equipment quickly while
preserving capital for automation projects.
A regional distribution warehouse handling fast-moving consumer goods needed low-level order
pickers for floor-level pallet picking.
The business opted for used STILL OPX order pickers sourced through a dealer to manage
costs. Gable Business Finance arranged hire purchase funding for the refurbished units, enabling the
warehouse to increase pick rates without a large upfront spend.
A pharmaceutical wholesaler supplying hospitals and pharmacies required precise, reliable order
pickers to support regulated picking operations.
The business invested in Jungheinrich EJE low-level order pickers, chosen for smooth
handling and control. Gable Business Finance arranged leasing finance, allowing the distributor to
maintain predictable monthly costs while meeting strict operational standards.
A national retail chain operating a large distribution centre required high-level order pickers for
narrow-aisle racking.
The business selected Crown TSP series order pickers due to their advanced safety
features and operator comfort. Gable Business Finance structured hire purchase funding, enabling the
retailer to own the equipment outright over time while improving picking efficiency.
A UK manufacturing facility producing automotive components needed robust order pickers for
horizontal picking across production stores.
The plant chose Hyster Lo-Loader order pickers known for durability in industrial
environments. Gable Business Finance arranged asset finance aligned with production output, ensuring
equipment costs matched operational benefit.
An NHS healthcare trust required electric pallet trucks to move medical supplies and linens across a
large hospital campus.
The trust selected Toyota electric pallet trucks for quiet operation and reliability.
Gable Business Finance arranged a lease solution allowing the trust to upgrade equipment within fixed
budget constraints.
A chilled food distribution warehouse required reliable electric pallet trucks for intensive daily
use.
The business chose STILL EXU electric pallet trucks for their robustness and operator
comfort. Gable Business Finance arranged hire purchase funding for multiple units, enabling the
warehouse to standardise equipment across shifts.
A wholesale distributor supplying hospitality venues needed efficient pallet movement across a
compact warehouse.
The business selected Linde MT series electric pallet trucks for premium build
quality. Gable Business Finance arranged finance for both new and used units, supporting expansion
without restricting cash flow.
An independent retailer with limited back-of-house space required reliable manual pallet jacks for
daily stock movement.
The retailer chose Toyota manual pallet trucks due to their durability. Gable Business
Finance arranged funding for a small fleet of used units, allowing the business to preserve working
capital for inventory.
A large logistics hub supporting multiple third-party clients needed vertical order pickers for
multi-racking operations.
The business invested in Jungheinrich high-level order pickers to support varied SKU
profiles. Gable Business Finance structured a leasing agreement, enabling rapid deployment across the
facility.
A third-party logistics provider managing fast-moving goods required dependable electric pallet
trucks for cross-docking operations.
The operator selected Crown electric pallet trucks for ease of use and low
maintenance. Gable Business Finance arranged hire purchase funding for a fleet acquisition.
An engineering manufacturer storing components in high racking needed precise reach and picking
equipment.
The business selected STILL FM-X order pickers for stability and visibility. Gable
Business Finance arranged asset finance aligned with long-term operational use.
A construction materials distributor required simple, reliable pallet movement in a yard and
warehouse environment.
The business opted for used pallet trucks from Toyota and Mitsubishi. Gable Business
Finance arranged funding for refurbished units, supporting cost-effective expansion.
A retail fulfilment operation processing thousands of daily orders required low-level order pickers
for fast horizontal movement.
The business invested in Toyota Optio low-level order pickers. Gable Business Finance
arranged leasing to allow rapid scaling during peak trading periods.
A UK-wide warehouse operator wanted to standardise order pickers and pallet trucks across multiple
sites.
The operator selected a mix of Toyota, STILL, and Jungheinrich order pickers alongside
Toyota and Crown pallet trucks. Gable Business Finance structured a consolidated
finance package covering new and used equipment, simplifying budgeting and fleet management.
These case studies highlight how Gable Business Finance supports UK materials handling businesses by
arranging finance for order pickers and hand trucks from leading manufacturers such
as Toyota, STILL, Jungheinrich, Hyster, Crown, and Linde.
By funding both new and used equipment across low-level and high-reach applications, Gable enables
businesses to improve picking efficiency, reduce manual handling risk, and scale operations without
placing pressure on working capital.
Order pickers and hand trucks play a vital role in the UK Materials Handling Equipment sector. They
support accurate retrieval from racking, efficient picking workflows, and safe movement of smaller
loads across warehouses, retail operations, manufacturing stores, and healthcare environments.
By investing in the right picking and handling equipment, UK businesses can improve productivity,
reduce manual handling risk, and maintain the fast, reliable operations required by modern supply
chains.