Ever since its introduction during the early 1920s, the forklift has become an important piece of equipment found in many industrial operations and warehousing. Clark, one of the pioneers of the first forklift, has grown to become a leader within the material handling business and still remains a top supplier. Various other popular names in the making of these equipment comprise: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Cat, Hyster, Nissan and Yale.
Hyster has grown to become one of the most popular units of lift trucks within the industry. In fact, in several regions, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Various other names for this industrial lifting machinery consist of: lift truck, jitney, high/low, fork truck and stacker truck.
It was in the 19th century that the equipment ancestors of the lift truck was first made. At this time, battery-powered, small models were invented for the purpose of transporting traveler's baggage at the Altoona train station in Pennsylvania. In WWI, some different types were developed within England specifically to be used in the material handling business. These machines evolved as a solution to the manpower shortage at that time.
Today's equipment come in various configurations and sizes. Sod loaders are big truck-mounted lift truck models and several of the bigger equipment, while the smaller machines consist of hand truck units. There are also a line of automated versions known as forklift automated guided vehicles which are basically robotic in nature. These units were made as a way of lowering operational expenses and to improve productivity.
A common lift truck is able to utilize a huge array of attachments that are capable of being added for a variety of particular functions. The motors could be internal combustion or IC units, running on propane, diesel or gasoline, or there are battery operated options which require regular charging. Standard warehouse units will usually be rated to lift between approximately 1 and 5 tons.
Ever since their evolution, forklifts have become a priceless part of the material handling business. Thousands of these models are used on a daily basis throughout the world to perform jobs which used to require much more man-power. Operators have to take stringent training programs so as to safely and legally operate these heavy machines. Lots of workers have better overall health and longer careers now due to their not having to raise things by hand anymore because the forklifts are capable of handling those situations now instead.