Forklift Truck Classification
For little under a century, the forklift truck has been working its magic. Even now, this piece of equipment is found in each and every warehouse operation throughout the globe.
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 which used powered lift tractors in their factories. During 1918, Clark saw the potential for these machinery and started selling them.
It was during the 1920s that the forklift design changed from a basic tractor with an attachment to a dedicated machine that was equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more advanced with WWII. The forklift played a vital role during this time in the handling of materials for various armies throughout the world. It was also during this time that the introduction of the wooden pallet proved the need for the forklift within the material handling industry.
Forklifts gained momentum and continued to develop when WWII ended. During the 1950s, forklifts which use batteries made an appearance. There were other more specialized kinds 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 a lot more versatile and businesses were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
There are numerous options you can utilize to power a forklift nowadays. These include diesel, electrical battery, compressed natural gas or CNG, gasoline, LPG or liquid propane gas. The first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It currently runs on diesel battery and lithium ion. This particular kind uses 39% less fuel compared to existing models. Statistics prove that its carbon dioxide emissions are roughly 14.6 tons less compared to those forklift models that are powered by IC or internal combustion engines.