It was in the start of the 20th Century when the very first forklifts were launched. These machinery during the last 90 plus years has changed the material handling business and even the recycling industry. The considerations for safe utilization, the lift truck's evolution and the many different types are discussed below.
History of Forklifts
These powered industrial trucks, also referred to as forklifts and lift trucks, were created and launched to the market in the latter part of the 19th century. Initially, these units were low lift trucks which were just capable of raising platforms a few inches high. Normally, these machinery were used for transporting supplies within a shop, such as work-in-progress situations. During the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks first emerged and truck design improvements began to take root from there. The tier trucks ultimately evolved and this allowed for better stacking of loads and storage efficiency.
There were really tough economic times during the 1930s. Nevertheless, throughout this time, labor was freely available but money for investment was increasingly more difficult to come by. This situation really slowed the growth of lift truck usage.
During World War II, forklifts became a strategic part of the war effort. In that era, vast shortages in manpower happened resulting from the wartime enlistment. It was discovered that its driver and the lift truck can handle the work of many men and were extremely productive. As the War continued, a lot of women drivers filled the many demands. When the war was over, forklifts became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were utilized a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Some of the leftover pallets and lift trucks within Australia left behind by the United States Military became the basis for the CHEP or Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool, who today is referred to as the world's largest pallet pooling business.
Gasoline/Diesel
Diesel and gasoline engines have numerous benefits. They are readily available around the world; they are great for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and numerous operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
Some of the major disadvantages of diesel and gasoline models include: they need much more maintenance than electric models, due to the emissions they release, they are not suitable to be used indoors, there is some difficulty and cost associated to disposal of fluid and oil and they need a re-fueling post on-site if they are going to be utilized always.