VNA Three-Way Stackers
VNA Forklifts in short
A VNA three-way stacker serves both rack faces from a single 1.5 m guided aisle because the forks rotate 180° and side-shift instead of the truck turning. iPack builds seven models from 0.8 t to 1.6 t, with lift heights to 14 m, double-deep telescopic forks and a −25 °C cold-store execution.
Very-narrow-aisle three-way stackers that serve both rack faces from a 1.5 m guided aisle, with lift heights up to 14 m and double-deep telescopic forks.
7 models
SF-800M · SF-1200M / SF-1600M · SF-1200M · SF-1200M-DD · …
Why this family exists
Built around the load, not the catalogue
Warehouse rent is charged by the square metre, and a conventional counterbalance truck spends most of that area on its turning circle. A very narrow aisle truck removes the turning circle from the equation: the forks rotate 180° and side-shift, so the truck itself never turns inside the aisle. A guided aisle of 1.5 m then serves racking on both sides.
In practice that is worth 30–40 % more pallet positions in the same building — often more than a racking redesign, and far cheaper than an extension. Where the building is already tall, the man-up models lift the operator with the forks so the top two levels can be picked as well as stored.
Guide rail, wire or electromagnetic guidance all work; we select based on your floor slab, racking type and whether the aisle already exists. Battery capacity and voltage are matched to your shift pattern, not to a catalogue default.
What every unit includes
- 180° fork rotation with lateral side shift as standard
- Guide rail, permanent-magnet or wire guidance options
- AC drive with stepless speed control and electric steering
- Wide-view mast and clear-view carriage for high stacking
- 48 V and 80 V battery options up to 900 Ah, Li-ion available
- Cold-store execution with heated cabin down to −25 °C
- CE documentation, spare-parts list and axle-load drawings
1.5 m guided aisles
Both rack faces served without the truck turning — the densest pallet storage available on standard racking.
Up to 14 m of lift
Man-up and double-deep models reach the top of a modern high-bay building, not just the lower levels.
Operator at the load
The man-up cabin rises with the forks, so placement is made with a direct view instead of a camera.
Freezer-ready
The SF-1400M-CS is rated to −25 °C with cold-chain electrics, low-temperature oil and a heated sealed cabin.
7 models in this family
Every specification below is taken from the official datasheet. Open a model for the full table, options and application notes.
Typical applications
High-density distribution centres
Where every extra pallet position has a measurable value and the building is already built.
Cold stores and freezers
Dense narrow-aisle layouts with freezer-rated trucks and heated cabins.
Paper, print and packaging
Heavy reels and cartons stored high, picked by the same machine that stores them.
Third-party logistics
Mixed pallet standards and multi-shift operation on a single battery platform.
1.5 m guided aisle, both rack faces
A three-way stacker rotates its forks 180° instead of the truck, so a single 1.5 m guided aisle serves two rows of racking. Customers typically recover 30–40 % more pallet positions from the same building.
Man-up cabin at the top bay
The operator rises with the forks, keeping a clear view of the pallet and the beam at 10 m and above — the difference between a placed pallet and a damaged rack.
Top bay reached without a camera
The man-up platform rises with the forks, so the operator sees the pallet and the beam at every level — which is what keeps rack damage down.
VNA Forklifts — questions buyers ask
How much storage density does a VNA truck actually add?
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Replacing a 3.8 m counterbalance aisle with a 1.5 m guided aisle typically recovers 30–40 % more pallet positions in the same building. The gain comes from the aisle width and from fitting more racking into the same footprint, not from a taller mast.
What capacity can a VNA truck lift at 14 m?
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The SF-1200M-DD lifts 1 200 kg at a 600 mm load centre to 14 000 mm with telescopic double-deep forks. Capacity falls as load centre increases, so always specify your real load centre rather than assuming 500 mm.
Is a guide rail required in the floor?
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Not always. Electromagnetic, permanent-magnet and wire guidance can all be installed in a sound existing slab, and a mechanical rail is bolted to the racking uprights. The choice follows your floor condition and racking type.
What is the difference between stand-on and man-up?
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A stand-on truck keeps the operator at floor level and is quicker to mount for high-frequency put-away. A man-up truck raises the cabin with the forks, which is what you need when the top levels are picked by the case rather than moved as whole pallets.
Can a VNA truck work outdoors?
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No. VNA stackers are indoor machines and depend on guidance laid into or onto the floor. For yard-to-aisle work the appropriate machine is an articulated truck such as the SF-2000M.
More answers on lead time, voltage, documentation and support are on the FAQ page, and the guides section covers how to choose between models.
Need help choosing within this family?
Load, height and throughput usually make the decision for you. Send us those three numbers and we will narrow it to one model.