Overview
Barron Equipment carries the ANVER FTA-Series Fork Truck Vacuum Lifter Attachment — a detachable vacuum lifting system that slides onto standard forklift forks, turning any fork truck into a vacuum-powered material handler. This attachment allows a single operator to securely lift sensitive loads from the top using vacuum suction, eliminating the need for hooks, grabs, slings, or manual handling that can damage brittle or thin materials.
Combined with ANVER’s cordless battery powered vacuum generators, the fork truck vacuum attachment creates a fully self-contained lifting solution with no trailing power cords or air lines. When the vacuum attachment is not needed, it slides off the forks and parks on built-in stands — the forklift goes right back to normal pallet handling duties.
Why Vacuum Lifting from a Fork Truck
Most vacuum lifters are designed for overhead cranes, jib cranes, or gantry systems. But many facilities rely primarily on forklifts for material movement and do not have overhead lifting infrastructure in every work area. The fork truck vacuum attachment bridges this gap by bringing vacuum lifting capability to any location a forklift can reach — no crane required.
This is especially valuable for handling materials that cannot be safely picked from below using standard forks alone. Thin metal sheet, glass panels, stone slabs, and plastic panels are prone to bending, cracking, or surface damage when lifted from underneath. Vacuum suction from the top keeps these materials flat and undamaged throughout the entire lift cycle.
Features and Benefits
The ANVER FTA-Series fork truck adapter is engineered for fast installation, flexible deployment, and rugged industrial use. Key features include:
- Detachable chassis that slides onto standard 26-inch forklift forks — no permanent modifications to the truck required
- Up to 6,000 lbs. lifting capacity per pair of adapters
- Two-piece design installs on new or existing vacuum lifting frames without full disassembly
- 3-position fork sheath adjusts to accommodate a range of fork sizes commonly used in industry
- Ratcheting locking hand knob clamps each adapter securely to the fork
- Safety chain loop to secure the lifter to the forklift during operation
- Built-in parking stands protect vacuum suction pads when the attachment is not in use
- Compatible with ANVER battery powered vacuum generators for fully cordless operation
- Remote pendant control for safe operator positioning during lifts
- Available for 3×3 in., 3×6 in., and 5×7 in. standard ANVER vacuum lift frame beams
- Doubles as a hoist-operated lifter when removed from the forklift
- All-welded steel frame construction
Dual-Use Flexibility
One of the most practical advantages of the ANVER fork truck vacuum attachment is its dual-use capability. When mounted on fork truck adapters, it operates as a forklift-powered vacuum lifter. When removed from the forks and hung from a crane hook, the same vacuum generator and pad frame operates as a standard below-the-hook vacuum lifter. This means facilities can invest in one vacuum lifting system and deploy it across both forklifts and cranes as the application demands.
Applications
The fork truck vacuum attachment is the right solution for facilities that need vacuum lifting capability but do not have overhead crane coverage in every work area. Common applications include lifting granite, marble, and engineered stone slabs from shipping crates and storage racks, handling thin aluminum and steel plate without bending or surface damage, picking non-porous plastic sheet and composite panels from stacked inventory, loading and unloading glass panels and insulated glazing units from A-frame carts, and any operation where sensitive materials need to be lifted from the top in areas serviced by forklifts rather than cranes.
Selection Assistance
Configuring a fork truck vacuum attachment starts with defining your material, load weight, fork dimensions, and how many vacuum pads are needed to support the material’s surface area. ANVER offers adjustable vacuum pad configurations tailored to customer requirements, and Barron Equipment’s team can help determine the right adapter size, generator model, and pad layout for your application.
For facilities that also need crane-mounted vacuum lifting, Barron carries the full ANVER vacuum lifter line as well as the Caldwell UNIVAC product family. Our team can help design a vacuum lifting solution that works across both forklifts and overhead cranes.
Contact Barron Equipment to request a quote or discuss a fork truck vacuum lifting solution for your operation.