In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the kinds of machines which operators utilize to transport supplies from one place to another are known as forklifts. The equipment lifts pallets, also called skids, which are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks which insert into the rungs of the pallet. Forklifts are also sometimes called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
Companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing advertised the first forklifts in the early 1900s. Nowadays most supplies stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are normally found inside warehouses and manufacturing plants, where they are used to operate the business smoothly.
The following are among the various types of skid lifts or pallets: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Telescopic handler; 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 referred to as "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
There are counterbalanced forklift trucks available for specialized uses, such as the articulated counterbalance truck. This particular hybrid is suggested for very narrow aisles since it can onload and offload 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" kind. These kinds of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This equipment must be used only on floors that are even and flat.