The forklift has been around since the early 1920's. Since its inception, the forklift has become an indispensable machinery for the materials handling business.
The forklift is also called a forklift and was initially utilized to carry and move baggage at airports and train stations. Throughout the Second World War the use of these machinery exploded and the warehousing business expanded significantly. The traditional machinery was adapted to handle the requirements of stacking inventory on higher shelves and they were made to move faster and lift heavier loads.
Usually, forklift trucks are utilized for stacking inventory in warehouses. In most cases, things are packed onto pallets which make it ideal for the forks to move in between the open spaces of the pallets. The forklift could then securely carry the load without it wobbling or falling onto the ground. Once the pallets are in position, they can be easily transported to a different location. Lift trucks are also utilized a lot within the shipping, docking, mining and agricultural industry.
Lift trucks are often seen on construction sites. The manufacturers of these machinery make them to pick up large heavy boxes and heavy pipes, concrete slabs, other equipment and ceramics. Since it is quite a compact unit, this machinery is able to move from one location to a different place at a fairly good speed.
The dimensions of the forklift differ depending on the unit and its particular application. For warehousing applications, there are the narrow aisle truck models. These need the floor to be very flat and are quite a bit smaller in size. Normally, they are designed with rear wheel steering. There has been a significant increase in these machines in the mining and manufacturing equipment businesses. Since lift trucks usually handle flammable supplies, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, the equipment have become more robust and stronger.
The forklifts may have load capacities from 1 to as many as 5 tons. Several heavy duty units have been designed to handle as many as 50 tons. These units are normally utilized to load shipping equipment off of and into ships. Lift trucks and their required training to operate are specially regulated to ensure the safety of the people using this specific machinery. No body could operate them legally without completing the proper training and documents.