Forklift trucks have been around for numerous years. Since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable machinery for the materials handling business.
Sometimes called forklifts, amongst their initial uses was carrying and moving luggage at airports and train stations. During WWII the use of these machinery exploded and the warehousing industry expanded significantly. The traditional machinery was adapted to handle the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were made to carry heavier loads and move faster.
The forklift is normally utilized for stacking inventory inside warehouses. Items for the most part are packed onto pallets which are made specifically to allow the forks to move underneath the openings of the pallets. The forklift could then securely lift the cargo without it wobbling or falling onto the ground. Once the pallets are in place, they can be easily transported to another location. Forklifts are also utilized much in the shipping, docking, mining and agricultural business.
The forklift is also seen on constructions sites, because many units have been made to lift huge heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, ceramics and other equipment. Because it is quite a compact unit, this specific equipment could move from one location to another at a fairly good speed.
Depending upon the specific model and its intended use, the lift trucks dimensions may vary. There are narrow aisle units specially for warehouse use. These need the floor to be really flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Normally, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these machines in the mining and manufacturing machine businesses. As lift trucks often handle flammable supplies, pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals, the equipment have become stronger and more robust.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Several heavy duty units have been designed to handle as many as 50 tons. These units are often used to load shipping equipment onto and off of ships. Forklifts and their required training to operate are particularly regulated to ensure the safety of the individuals utilizing this particular equipment. No body is able to use them legally without finishing the correct training and documents.