In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the kinds of machines that operators utilize to transport supplies from one place to another are known as forklifts. The equipment lifts pallets, also known as skids, that are loaded with objects. The lift truck is made with forks which insert into the pallet rungs. Forklifts are also sometimes called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, Skid Trucks, High/Low, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
The first forklifts were marketed in the early part of the 1900s by companies like Yale & Towne Manufacturing and Clark. Today the majority of supplies stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found within warehouses and manufacturing factories, where they are relied upon to operate the business smoothly.
The following are among the different kinds of skid lifts or pallets: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also called "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also known as "Flexi Truck"; Truck Mounted Forklift / Sod Loader; Guided Very Narrow Aisle truck ; 'Man Down' - used for narrow aisles; and 'Man Riser' Combination Order Picker/ Stacker truck
The articulated counterbalance truck is a type of counterbalanced forklift truck that is utilized for specialized applications. This particular hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles since it is capable of offloading and onloading within really tight spaces.
Capable if lifting as high as 12 meters are the Guided Vary Narrow Aisle Trucks. The "non top-tied" kind can lift up to 30 meters high. These trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This equipment must just be used on floors that are flat and even.