In manufacturing and warehouse environments, the types of machines that operators use to shuttle supplies from one location to another are called forklifts. The machine carries pallets, also called skids, which are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks which insert into the rungs of the pallet. 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 sold the first forklifts in the early 1900s. Nowadays the majority of goods stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are normally found within warehouses and manufacturing plants, where they are used to operate the business smoothly.
Some of the different kinds of skid lifts or pallets are as follows: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Telescopic handler; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider 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' - utilized for narrow aisles; and 'Man Riser' Combination Order Picker/ Stacker truck
The articulated counterbalance truck is a type of counterbalanced forklift truck that is utilized for specialized applications. This particular hybrid is suggested for very narrow aisles since it is capable of onloading and offloading in really tight spaces.
Capable if lifting as high as 12 meters are the Guided Vary Narrow Aisle Trucks. The "non top-tied" type could lift up to 30 meters high. These kinds of trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This equipment should only be used on flat and even floors.