Forklifts are machinery that forklift drivers utilize to shuttle supplies from one place to another in warehouse and manufacturing environments. The machinery lifts pallets, also known as skids, that are loaded with things. The lift truck is designed with forks that insert into the pallet rungs. Forklifts are also sometimes referred to as Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, Skid Trucks, High/Low, Stacker-Trucks and Side Loaders.
Companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing advertised the first forklifts in the early part of the 1900s. These days nearly all supplies stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are commonly found in manufacturing factories and warehouses, where they are utilized to operate the business smoothly.
Amongst the different types of skid lifts or pallets are as follows: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Rider stacker; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also called "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also called "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 really narrow aisles since it can onload and offload in 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" version. These types of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machinery should be used only on floors that are even and flat.