Ever since its introduction in the early 1920s, the forklift has become an important piece of equipment found in many warehousing and industrial operations. 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. Other well-known names in the making of these machines include: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Cat, Nissan, Yale and Hyster.
The Hyster brand of forklift has become one of the industries most popular manufacturers. In fact, in some places, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Various other names for this industrial lifting machinery comprise: fork truck, stacker truck, jitney, high/low and lift truck.
The ancestor of today's equipment was initially developed in the early 19th century. At this time, small, battery-powered models were invented for the purpose of moving traveler's baggage in Pennsylvania at the Altoona train station. During the First World War, some different kinds were developed in England specially to be used in the material handling business. These equipment evolved as a solution to the lack of manpower at that time.
The modern equivalents come in a range of configurations and sizes. There are the large truck-mounted lift truck units which are also called sod loaders and then the opposite end of the spectrum has small hand truck models. There are also a line of automated versions referred to as forklift automated guided vehicles that are basically robotic in nature. These units were made to improve production and as a way of lowering operational expenses.
Attachments have been made to fit onto numerous regular lift trucks, giving them the capability of performing a wider selection of jobs. The motors can be IC or internal combustion units, working on diesel, gasoline or propane, or there are battery operated options that need regular charging. Typical warehouse units will normally be rated to lift between around 1 and 5 tons.
The forklift has become a priceless part within the material handling industry. Thousands of these units are utilized on a daily basis all over the world to perform jobs that used to require much more man-power. Operators need to take stringent training courses in order to legally and safely run these heavy machines. Many workers have longer careers now and better overall health due to their not having to raise things manually anymore because the forklifts could handle those situations now instead.