In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the types of equipment which operators use to shuttle materials from one place to another are known as forklifts. The equipment carries pallets, also known as skids, which are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks that insert into the pallet rungs. Forklifts are also sometimes called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
The first forklifts were sold in the early part of the 1900s by companies like 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 used for the smooth operation of business.
Amongst the various kinds of pallets or skid lifts are as follows: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; IC counterbalanced truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; Sideloader; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also referred to as "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also referred to 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
The articulated counterbalance truck is a kind of counterbalanced forklift truck which is utilized for specialized applications. This hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles since it can onload and offload 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" kind. These trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machinery must be used only on flat and even floors.