Forklift Truck Classification
For little under a century, the forklift truck has been working its magic. Even now, this type of equipment is found in each and every warehouse operation throughout the world.
The very first forklifts were made because of manpower shortages which were caused by WWI. Companies like for example Yale & Town and Clark introduced the material handling equipment that used powered lift tractors inside their factories. During 1918, Clark saw the potential for these machinery and started selling them.
From a simple tractor with an attachment, the forklift design evolved during the 1920s, to a dedicated machinery equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more sophisticated with WWII. The forklift played a vital part during this time in the handling of supplies for different armies throughout the world. It was also at this time that the introduction of the wooden pallet proved the need for the forklift in the material handling industry.
Lift trucks gained momentum and continued to develop when WWII ended. During the 1950s, battery driven forklifts made an appearance. There were other more specialized kinds of forklifts introduced like for instance the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This kind 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.
Today, the forklift could be powered by various fuel options such as diesel, electrical battery, compressed natural gas or CNG, gasoline, LPG or liquid propane gas. The very first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It now runs on lithium ion and diesel battery. This kind uses thirty nine percent less fuel compared to existing models. Statistics prove that its carbon dioxide emissions are roughly 14.6 tons less than those forklift models that are powered by IC or internal combustion engines.