In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the kinds of equipment which operators use to shuttle supplies from one place to another are known as forklifts. The equipment carries pallets, also called skids, which are loaded with items. The lift truck is made with forks which insert into the pallet rungs. Every so often, forklifts are also called Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, Skid Trucks, High/Low, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
The very first forklifts were marketed during the early 1900s by companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing. Today most goods are shipped to warehouses and stores on pallets. Forklifts are normally found within manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are relied upon to operate the business smoothly.
Amongst the different kinds of skid lifts or pallets are as follows: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; IC counterbalanced truck; Telescopic handler; Towing tractor; Sideloader; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Electric counterbalanced truck; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also referred to as "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also known as "Flexi Truck"; Truck Mounted Forklift / Sod Loader; Guided Very Narrow Aisle truck; 'Man Down' - used for narrow aisles; and 'Man Riser' Combination Order Picker/ Stacker truck
The articulated counterbalance truck is a type of counterbalanced forklift truck which is utilized for specialized applications. This hybrid is recommended for really narrow aisles because it is capable of onloading and offloading 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" type. These kinds of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This equipment should only be used on even and flat floors.