In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the types of equipment that operators utilize to shuttle materials from one place to another are known as forklifts. The machine lifts pallets, also referred to as skids, that are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks which 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.
Companies such as Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing advertised the very first forklifts in the early 1900s. These days nearly all supplies are shipped to warehouses and stores on pallets. Forklifts are commonly found within manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are depended upon to operate the business smoothly.
Among the different kinds of pallets or skid lifts are the following: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also called "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also known 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
The articulated counterbalance truck is a type of counterbalanced forklift truck which is used for specialized applications. This particular hybrid is recommended for very narrow aisles since it could offload and onload 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 kinds of trucks are available in man-riser and man-down models. This machinery should be utilized only on flat and even floors.