In warehouse and manufacturing environments, the types of machinery that drivers utilize to shuttle materials from one place to another are called forklifts. The machinery lifts pallets, also called skids, that are loaded with objects. The lift truck is made with forks that insert into the pallet rungs. At times, forklifts are also known as as Lift Trucks, Pallet Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
Companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing marketed the first forklifts during the early 1900s. These days nearly all supplies stores on pallets and are shipped to warehouses. Forklifts are usually found in warehouses and manufacturing factories, where they are utilized to operate the business smoothly.
Some of the different types of skid lifts or pallets are as follows: Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift truck; Hand pallet truck; Towing tractor; IC counterbalanced truck; Sideloader; Telescopic handler; Slip Sheet machine; Walkie stacker; Rider stacker; Walkie Order Picking truck; Reach truck; Electric counterbalanced truck; Rider Order Picking truck - also referred to as "Order Picker"; Articulated Very Narrow Aisle Counterbalanced trucks - also called "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
There are counterbalanced forklift trucks available for specialized uses, like for example the articulated counterbalance truck. This particular hybrid is suggested for very narrow aisles since it is capable of onloading and offloading within very tight spaces.
Capable if lifting as high as 12 meters are the Guided Vary Narrow Aisle Trucks. The "non top-tied" kind could lift up to 30 meters high. These trucks are available in man down and man-riser models. This machinery should be utilized only on floors that are flat and even.