In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the types of machinery that operators use to transport materials from one location to another are known as forklifts. The machine lifts pallets, also known as skids, that are loaded with items. The lift truck is made with forks that insert into the rungs of the pallet. Sometimes, forklifts are also known as as Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The first forklifts were marketed during the early 1900s by companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing. Nowadays most supplies stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found inside warehouses and manufacturing plants, where they are utilized for the smooth operation of business.
The following are amongst the different kinds of skid lifts or pallets: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; IC counterbalanced truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; Sideloader; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also called "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also known as "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
There are counterbalanced forklift trucks available for specialized uses, like for example the articulated counterbalance truck. This particular hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles since it could onload and offload in really tight spaces.
Capable if lifting as high as 12 meters are the Guided Vary Narrow Aisle Trucks. The "non top-tied" type could lift up to 30 meters high. These trucks are available in man-riser and man-down models. This equipment should only be used on floors which are flat and even.