In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the kinds of machinery which drivers use to transport supplies from one place to another are known as forklifts. The machine lifts pallets, also called skids, that are loaded with objects. The lift truck is designed with forks that insert into the pallet rungs. At times, forklifts are also known as as Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
The very first forklifts were sold during the early 1900s by companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing. Today the majority of supplies stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are commonly found inside warehouses and manufacturing factories, where they are utilized to operate the business smoothly.
The following are among the various kinds of skid lifts or pallets: 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
The articulated counterbalance truck is a kind of counterbalanced forklift truck which is used for specialized applications. This particular hybrid is suggested for really narrow aisles as it can onload and offload in 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 machinery must only be used on even and flat floors.