The forklift has become such an invaluable piece of equipment found and used in most warehousing and industrial operations, ever since its introduction to the market more than 90 years ago during the 1920's. Among the forklift's pioneers, Clark has grown to become an industry top supplier in the material handling industry. Different other well-known names in the making of these machinery comprise: Cat, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Yale and Hyster.
The Hyster type of forklift has become among the industries most popular manufacturers. The truth is, in several places, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Various other names for this industrial lifting machinery comprise: fork truck, stacker truck, jitney, high/low and lift truck.
The ancestor of today's machinery was initially developed during the early part of the 19th century. At this time, small, battery-powered models were made for the purpose of transporting traveler's baggage at the Altoona train station within Pennsylvania. In WWI, some different versions were made in England particularly for use in the material handling industry. These machinery evolved as a solution to the manpower shortage at that time.
The modern equivalents come in a range of sizes and configurations. There are the big truck-mounted forklift units that are also called 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 which are practically robotic in nature. These models were made as a means of lowering operational costs and to improve productivity.
A common forklift is able to use a wide range of attachments which are capable of being added for a range of specific functions. The motors can be internal combustion or IC units, working on diesel, gasoline or propane, or there are battery operated options that need regular charging. Typical warehouse units will normally be rated to raise between roughly 1 and 5 tons.
Ever since their evolution, forklifts have become a priceless part of the material handling industry. Many of these models are utilized on a daily basis throughout the world to perform tasks that used to need much more man-power. Operators have to take stringent training courses so as to run these heavy equipment safely and legally. A lot of workers have better health overall and longer careers now due to their not having to lift objects by hand anymore as the forklifts can handle those situations now instead.