Forklifts are machinery which forklift drivers utilize to shuttle materials from one place to another in warehouse and manufacturing environments. The machinery carries pallets, also referred to as skids, that are loaded with objects. The lift truck is designed with forks which insert into the pallet rungs. Sometimes, forklifts are also called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, Skid Trucks, High/Low, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
Companies such as Yale & Towne manufacturing and Clark advertised the first forklifts in the early 1900s. Nowadays nearly all goods are delivered to warehouses and stores on pallets. Forklifts are commonly found in manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are used to operate the business smoothly.
The following are amongst the various kinds of skid lifts or pallets: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced 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' - utilized 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 suggested for very narrow aisles as it is capable of offloading and onloading within very tight spaces.
The Guided Very Narrow Aisle Trucks are capable of lifting as high as 12 meters, and even up to 30 meters if it is a "non top-tied" type. These trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machinery must just be used on floors that are flat and even.