The forklift has become such an invaluable piece of machinery found and used in most warehousing and industrial operations, ever since its introduction to the market more than 90 years ago in the 1920's. Among the forklift's pioneers, Clark has grown to become an industry top supplier in the material handling business. Different other popular names in the making of these machines consist of: Hyster, Nissan, Yale Toyota, Mitsubishi and Cat.
The Hyster brand of lift truck has become one of the industries most popular manufacturers. The fact is, in several places, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Different other names for this industrial lifting machines consist of: high/low, lift truck, jitney, fork truck and stacker truck.
It was in the 19th century that the machine ancestors of the lift truck was initially made. At this time, battery-powered, small units were made for the purpose of moving traveler's baggage at the Altoona train station within Pennsylvania. During the First World War, various kinds were made within England specially for use in the material handling business. These machinery evolved as a solution to the lack of manpower at that time.
The modern equivalents come in a range of sizes and configurations. There are the large truck-mounted lift truck units which are also called sod loaders and then the opposite end of the spectrum has small hand truck models. There are also a line of automated versions known as forklift automated guided vehicles that are basically robotic in nature. These models were developed to improve productivity and as a means of lowering operational expenses.
Attachments have been made to fit onto many regular lift trucks, giving them the capability of performing a wider selection of tasks. The motors could be IC or internal combustion models, running on propane, diesel or gasoline, or there are battery operated options which require regular charging. Standard warehouse units would usually be rated to lift between roughly 1 and 5 tons.
Since their evolution, lift trucks have become a priceless component of the material handling business. Many of these models are used each and every day all over the globe to complete tasks which used to need much more man-power. Operators have to take stringent training programs in order to legally and safely run these heavy equipment. Many employees have longer careers now and better health overall due to their not having to raise objects by hand anymore as the forklifts are capable of handling those situations now instead.