The lift truck has become such an important piece of machinery found and utilized in most industrial operations and warehousing, 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 business. Other well-known names in the making of these equipment include: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Cat, Yale, Hyster and Nissan.
Hyster has grown to become among the most popular units of forklifts within the business. In fact, in some places, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Other common names for this industrial lifting machines include: fork truck, stacker truck, jitney, high/low and lift truck.
It was in the 19th century that the machine ancestors of the lift truck was initially developed. At this time, battery-powered, small models were invented for the purpose of moving traveler's luggage within Pennsylvania at the Altoona train station. In WWI, some different versions were developed within England particularly to be utilized in the material handling industry. These machines evolved as a solution to the manpower shortage at that time.
Today's equipment come in many sizes and configurations. Sod loaders are big truck-mounted forklift units and several of the bigger equipment, while the smaller equipment consist of hand truck units. There are also a line of automated versions referred to as forklift automated guided vehicles which are basically robotic in nature. These units were developed to improve production and as a way of lowering operational costs.
Attachments have been made to fit onto numerous regular lift trucks, giving them the capability of performing a wider selection of jobs. The motors can be internal combustion or IC models, running on gasoline, propane or diesel, or there are battery operated options that need regular charging. Standard warehouse units will normally be rated to lift between about 1 and 5 tons.
Since their evolution, forklifts have become a priceless component of the material handling business. Thousands of these models are utilized every day all over the globe to complete tasks which used to require a lot more man-power. Operators must take stringent training programs so as to safely and legally operate these heavy machinery. A lot of workers have better overall health and longer careers now due to their not having to raise objects by hand anymore since the forklifts are capable of handling those situations now instead.