Forklifts are equipment which forklift drivers utilize to shuttle supplies from one place to another in warehouse and manufacturing environments. The equipment lifts pallets, also called skids, that are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks which insert into the pallet rungs. At times, forklifts are also called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
Companies like Yale & Towne manufacturing and Clark advertised the first forklifts in the early part of the 1900s. Today most supplies stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found in warehouses and manufacturing plants, where they are relied upon to operate the business smoothly.
The following are some of the different kinds of pallet or skid lifts: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; IC counterbalanced truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; Sideloader; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking 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' - utilized for narrow aisles; and 'Man Riser' Combination Order Picker/ Stacker truck
There are counterbalanced forklift trucks available for specialized uses, such as the articulated counterbalance truck. This particular hybrid is suggested for very narrow aisles since it could offload and onload in really 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" type. These kinds of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This equipment must only be used on floors which are even and flat.