Since its introduction in the early 1920s, the forklift has become an invaluable piece of machinery found in many industrial operations and warehousing. Clark, one of the pioneers of the first lift truck, has grown to become a leader in the material handling industry and still remains a top supplier. Other well-known names in the manufacturing of these equipment include: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Cat, Hyster, Nissan and Yale.
The Hyster type of lift truck has become one of the industries most popular manufacturers. The fact is, in some places, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Other common names for this industrial lifting machinery consist of: lift truck, jitney, high/low, fork truck and stacker truck.
The ancestor of today's equipment was initially made in the early 19th century. At this time, battery-powered, small models were invented for the purpose of moving traveler's luggage at the Altoona train station in Pennsylvania. In the First World War, various versions were made in England specially to be utilized in the material handling industry. These machinery 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 large truck-mounted lift truck units which are also known as sod loaders and then the opposite end of the spectrum has small hand truck units. There are also a line of automated versions known as forklift automated guided vehicles that are basically robotic in nature. These models were made as a way of lowering operational expenses and to improve production.
Attachments have been made to fit onto lots of regular forklifts, giving them the capability of performing a wider selection of tasks. The motors could be internal combustion or IC units, running on diesel, gasoline or propane, or there are battery operated options which need regular charging. Typical warehouse models will usually be rated to raise between roughly 1 and 5 tons.
Since their evolution, lift trucks have become a priceless part of the material handling industry. Thousands of these models are used on a daily basis all over the globe to perform jobs which used to need much more man-power. Operators should take stringent training courses in order to legally and safely run these heavy equipment. Lots of workers have better health overall and longer careers now due to their not having to lift things by hand anymore because the forklifts are capable of handling those situations now instead.