The lift truck has become such an invaluable piece of machine 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. One of 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 include: Yale, Hyster, Nissan Mitsubishi, Cat and Toyota.
Hyster has grown to become one of the most popular models of forklifts within the business. The fact is, in some places, the word "Hyster" is synonymous with forklift. Various other names for this industrial lifting machinery include: lift truck, jitney, high/low, stacker truck and fork truck.
It was in the 19th century that the machine ancestors of the lift truck was first developed. At this time, battery-powered, small units were invented for the purpose of transporting traveler's baggage at the Altoona train station in Pennsylvania. In WWI, various versions were made in England specifically for use in the material handling business. These machines evolved as a solution to the manpower shortage at that time.
The modern equivalents come in a range of sizes and configurations. There are the big truck-mounted forklift models which are also known as sod loaders and then the opposite end of the spectrum has small hand truck units. There are also a line of automated versions referred to as forklift automated guided vehicles which are practically robotic in nature. These units were developed to improve productivity and as a means of lowering operational costs.
Attachments have been made to fit onto numerous common lift trucks, giving them the capability of performing a wider selection of jobs. The motors could be internal combustion or IC units, running on gasoline, propane or diesel, or there are battery operated options which require regular charging. Typical warehouse models would usually be rated to lift between around 1 and 5 tons.
Ever since their evolution, forklifts have become a priceless part of the material handling industry. Many of these models are utilized on a daily basis all around the world to complete jobs which used to require much more man-power. Operators must take stringent training courses in order to operate these heavy equipment legally and safely. Numerous workers have better health overall and longer careers now due to their not having to raise objects by hand anymore because the forklifts can handle those situations now instead.