In manufacturing and warehouse environments, the types of machines that drivers use to transport materials from one place to another are known as forklifts. The machinery carries pallets, also called skids, that are loaded with items. The lift truck is designed with forks which insert into the rungs of the pallet. Forklifts are also sometimes known as as Pallet Trucks, Lift Trucks, High/Low, Skid Trucks, Side Loaders and Stacker Trucks.
Companies like Clark and Yale & Towne Manufacturing sold the first forklifts during the early 1900s. Today the majority of supplies stores on pallets and are delivered to warehouses. Forklifts are commonly found in manufacturing plants and warehouses, where they are depended upon to operate the business smoothly.
Some of the various types of skid lifts or pallets are as follows: Hand pallet truck; Walkie low lift truck - with electrical motor; Rider low lift 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 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 recommended for really narrow aisles because it can offload and onload within very tight spaces.
Capable if lifting as high as 12 meters are the Guided Vary Narrow Aisle Trucks. The "non top-tied" type can lift up to 30 meters high. These kinds of trucks are available in man-riser and man-down models. This machine should be used only on even and flat floors.