Forklifts are machinery that forklift drivers use to transport materials from one location to another in manufacturing and warehouse environments. The equipment carries pallets, also called skids, which 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, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The very first forklifts were sold in the early 1900s by companies such as Yale & Towne Manufacturing and Clark. Today nearly all goods stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are commonly found inside manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are utilized to operate the business smoothly.
The following are some of the different types of pallet or skid lifts: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; IC counterbalanced truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; 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 called "Flexi Truck"; Truck Mounted Forklift / Sod Loader; Guided Very Narrow Aisle truck ; 'Man Down' - for narrow aisles; and 'Man Riser' Combination Order Picker/ Stacker truck
The articulated counterbalance truck is a type of counterbalanced forklift truck which is utilized for specialized applications. This hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles since it is capable of offloading and onloading within very tight spaces.
Capable if lifting as high as 12 meters are the Guided Vary Narrow Aisle Trucks. The "non top-tied" kind could lift up to 30 meters high. These kinds of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machinery should just be used on floors that are even and flat.