The forklift has become such an invaluable piece of machine found and utilized in most industrial operations and warehousing, ever since its introduction to the market more than 90 years ago during the 1920's. One of the forklift's pioneers, Clark has grown to become an industry top supplier in the material handling business. Other well-known names in the manufacturing of these machines consist of: Cat, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Yale and Hyster.
The Hyster brand of lift truck has become among the industries most popular manufacturers. In fact, in some regions, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Other common names for this industrial lifting machines comprise: fork truck, stacker truck, jitney, high/low and lift truck.
It was during the 19th century that the machine ancestors of the lift truck was first made. At this time, battery-powered, small models were invented for the purpose of moving traveler's luggage within Pennsylvania at the Altoona train station. In WWI, various versions were developed in England specifically to be utilized in the material handling industry. These equipment evolved as a solution to the manpower shortage at that time.
The modern equivalents come in a variety of configurations and sizes. There are the big truck-mounted forklift models that 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 known as forklift automated guided vehicles which are practically robotic in nature. These models were made as a means of lowering operational costs and to improve production.
A regular lift truck is able to use a huge array of attachments that are capable of being added for a range of specific functions. The motors could be IC or internal combustion units, working on gasoline, propane or diesel, or there are battery operated options which require regular charging. Standard warehouse units would normally be rated to lift between approximately 1 and 5 tons.
The lift truck has become a priceless part in the material handling industry. Many of these models are utilized on a daily basis all over the globe to perform jobs which used to need a lot more man-power. Operators must take stringent training programs in order to safely and legally operate these heavy machinery. Lots of workers have better overall health and longer careers now due to their not having to lift items by hand anymore because the forklifts can handle those situations now instead.