UniCarriers continues to position the Platinum II Series - spanning its PF and CF pneumatic-tire and cushion-tire counterbalance ranges - as its anchor truck for 5,000-to-8,000-pound capacity applications, targeting lumberyards, brickyards, building-material distribution, and manufacturing facilities where durability, productivity, and operator comfort determine fleet performance. The Platinum II PFD series is powered by a Kubota diesel engine (with the PD6 line using a Kubota V3800 low-emission turbocharged diesel for larger capacities), delivering a smooth, durable, and efficient power source suited to continuous heavy-duty work cycles in outdoor and industrial environments.
The series' defining engineering feature is the "ControlFreak Single Handle Control Lever" - UniCarriers' patented single-handle arrangement that combines both lift and tilt functions into one intuitive, finger-tip-controlled joystick. Faster, easier, and more fluid than separate lift and tilt levers, the single-handle control allows the operator to complete complex lift-tilt-extend sequences without repositioning the hand between levers - a direct productivity advantage in high-cycle applications such as brick and block loading, lumber stacking, and manufacturing infeed/outfeed operations. The single-handle control is standard equipment on the Platinum II Series and not available from any other forklift brand in this capacity class, positioning it as a differentiating feature in a segment where competitors still rely on conventional dual-lever arrangements.
The Platinum II incorporates a comprehensive "Operator Presence System" (OPS) that deactivates lift and tilt operations if the operator leaves the seat, combined with a "return-to-neutral" feature that minimizes forklift movement if the operator leaves the truck while still in gear. Standard audible and visual warnings include a "parking brake alarm" (a buzzer that alerts the driver if they leave the seat without first setting the parking brake), a seatbelt alarm, and a "back-up alarm" - with an optional self-adjusting alarm that modulates sound volume based on ambient noise levels, a critical feature in mixed-noise environments such as lumberyards where fixed-volume alarms are either too quiet to hear or too loud for surrounding workers. Combined with optional all-wheel-drive configurations and the manufacturer's established global parts availability, the Platinum II PFD series positions itself as a direct competitor to the Toyota 8FGU32, Hyster H80XT, and Cat DP50 in the global 5-to-8-ton pneumatic counterbalance segment.
