In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the types of equipment that drivers utilize to transport materials from one place to another are referred to as forklifts. The machine carries pallets, also known as skids, which are loaded with items. The lift truck is made with forks that insert into the rungs of the pallet. Forklifts are also sometimes called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, Skid Trucks, High/Low, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
Companies such as Yale & Towne manufacturing and Clark advertised the very first forklifts in the early part of the 1900s. Today nearly all goods stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are normally found in warehouses and manufacturing plants, where they are utilized for the smooth operation of business.
Among the different types of skid lifts or pallets are as follows: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider 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' - for narrow aisles; and 'Man Riser' Combination Order Picker/ Stacker truck
The articulated counterbalance truck is a type of counterbalanced forklift truck that is used for specialized applications. This hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles because it is capable of onloading and offloading 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 trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machinery should be used only on flat and even floors.