Forklifts are machinery which forklift operators utilize to transport supplies from one location to another in warehouse and manufacturing environments. The equipment carries pallets, also called skids, that are loaded with objects. The lift truck is made with forks which insert into the rungs of the pallet. Forklifts are also sometimes referred to as Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The very first forklifts were advertised in the early 1900s by companies like Yale & Towne Manufacturing and Clark. Nowadays most goods are delivered to warehouses and stores on pallets. Forklifts are usually found within manufacturing factories and warehouses, where they are relied upon to operate the business smoothly.
The following are amongst the various kinds of pallet or skid lifts: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Telescopic handler; 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 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
There are counterbalanced forklift trucks available for specialized uses, like for example the articulated counterbalance truck. This hybrid is suggested for very narrow aisles since it can onload and offload within really 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 trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This equipment must only be used on even and flat floors.