In manufacturing and warehouse environments, the kinds of machinery that operators utilize to transport supplies from one place to another are known as forklifts. The machinery carries pallets, also known as skids, that are loaded with objects. The lift truck is made with forks that insert into the rungs of the pallet. Forklifts are also sometimes known as as Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, Skid Trucks, High/Low, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The first forklifts were marketed during the early part of the 1900s by companies such as Yale & Towne Manufacturing and Clark. These days the majority of goods stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found in manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are utilized to operate the business smoothly.
Among the different types of skid lifts or pallets are the following: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also called "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also called "Flexi Truck"; Truck Mounted Forklift / Sod Loader; Guided Very Narrow Aisle truck; 'Man Down' - used 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 hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles as it could offload and onload within 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 machine must be utilized only on floors that are flat and even.