In manufacturing and warehouse environments, the types of machinery which operators utilize to transport supplies from one place to another are referred to as forklifts. The machinery carries pallets, also known as skids, that are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks which insert into the pallet rungs. Forklifts are also sometimes called Lift Trucks, Pallet Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
Companies like Yale & Towne manufacturing and Clark marketed the very first forklifts during the early 1900s. Nowadays most goods stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found in manufacturing factories and warehouses, where they are used to operate the business smoothly.
The following are among the different kinds of pallet or skid lifts: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie 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 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 type of counterbalanced forklift truck which is used for specialized applications. This particular hybrid is recommended for very narrow aisles because 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 types of trucks are available in man-riser and man-down models. This equipment must be used only on floors which are even and flat.