Forklifts are machinery which forklift operators use to transport materials from one place to another in warehouse and manufacturing environments. The equipment carries pallets, also called skids, which are loaded with objects. The lift truck is designed with forks that insert into the rungs of the pallet. Forklifts are also sometimes referred to as Lift Trucks, Pallet Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The very first forklifts were sold in the early part of the 1900s by companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing. Today nearly all supplies stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found in warehouses and manufacturing plants, where they are utilized to operate the business smoothly.
The following are some of the different kinds of pallet or skid lifts: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also referred to as "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also referred to as "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
There are counterbalanced forklift trucks available for specialized uses, such as the articulated counterbalance truck. This particular hybrid is suggested for really narrow aisles because it is capable of offloading and onloading within really 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" version. These types of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machine must be utilized only on flat and even floors.