The lift truck has become such an important piece of equipment found and used in most warehousing and industrial operations, since its introduction to the market more than 90 years ago in the 1920's. Among the forklift's pioneers, Clark has grown to become an industry top supplier in the material handling industry. Other well-known names in the making of these machinery include: Mitsubishi, Cat, Toyota, Nissan, Yale and Hyster.
The Hyster type of lift truck has become one of the industries most popular manufacturers. As a matter of fact, in some regions, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Various other names for this industrial lifting machinery consist of: fork truck, stacker truck, lift truck, jitney and high/low.
The ancestor of today's equipment was first developed during the early 19th century. At this time, battery-powered, small units were invented for the purpose of transporting traveler's baggage at the Altoona train station in Pennsylvania. During WWI, various kinds were made within England particularly to be used in the material handling industry. These equipment evolved as a solution to the lack of manpower at that time.
Today's machines come in many configurations and sizes. Sod loaders are big truck-mounted lift truck units and some of the larger equipment, whereas the smaller machinery consist of hand truck models. There are also a line of automated versions referred to as forklift automated guided vehicles which are basically robotic in nature. These models were made to improve productivity and as a way of lowering operational expenses.
Attachments have been made to fit onto numerous regular forklifts, giving them the capability of performing a wider selection of tasks. The motors can be IC or internal combustion models, working on propane, diesel or gasoline, or there are battery operated options that require regular charging. Standard warehouse models will normally be rated to lift between approximately 1 and 5 tons.
Ever since their evolution, lift trucks have become a priceless component of the material handling business. Thousands of these models are utilized each and every day throughout the globe to perform tasks which used to require much more man-power. Operators should take stringent training courses so as to legally and safely run these heavy machines. A lot of workers have better health overall and longer careers now due to their not having to raise items by hand anymore since the forklifts could handle those situations now instead.