Forklifts are machinery which forklift drivers use to shuttle materials from one place to another in manufacturing and warehouse environments. The machinery carries pallets, also called skids, that are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks that insert into the pallet rungs. Forklifts are also sometimes called Lift Trucks, Pallet Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The first forklifts were sold in the early 1900s by companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing. Nowadays nearly all goods stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are normally found within manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are depended upon for the smooth operation of business.
Among the different kinds of pallets or skid lifts are as follows: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Telescopic handler; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also known 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, such as the articulated counterbalance truck. This hybrid is recommended for very narrow aisles because it is capable of onloading and offloading 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" version. These trucks are available in man-riser and man-down models. This machinery should only be utilized on even and flat floors.