Forklift Truck Classification
For little under a century, the forklift truck has been working its magic. Even today, this type of equipment is found in every warehouse operation all over the world.
The first forklifts were made because of manpower shortages that were caused by World War I. Companies like Clark and Yale & Town introduced the material handling machine which utilized powered lift tractors inside their factories. In 1918, Clark saw the potential for these equipment and began selling them.
It was during the 1920s that the forklift design changed from a basic tractor with an attachment to a dedicated machine which was equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more sophisticated with WWII. The forklift played an essential role during this time in the handling of materials for different armies all over the world. It was also during this time that wooden pallets were introduced which proved the need for the lift truck in the material handling industry.
As soon as World War II ended, the forklift gained momentum and continued to develop. In the 1950s, forklifts that utilize batteries made an appearance. There were other more specialized types of forklifts introduced like for example the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This model was made by the Raymond Corporation. In the 1960s and 1970s, improvements were made in the electronic controls area. This made forklifts much more versatile and businesses were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
These days, the forklift could be powered by numerous fuel options such as diesel, electrical battery, CNG or compressed natural gas, gasoline, liquid propane gas or LPG. The very first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It currently runs on diesel battery and lithium ion. This kind utilizes 39 percent less fuel compared to existing models. Statistics show that its carbon dioxide emissions are around 14.6 tons less than those forklift models that are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.