Forklift Truck Classification
Forklift trucks have been working its magic for approximately 100 years now. Even now, this kind of machinery is found in every warehouse operation throughout the globe.
Because of WWI, there were shortages of manpower which resulted in the construction of the first forklifts. Companies such as Yale & Town and Clark introduced the material handling machine which used powered lift tractors inside their plants. In 1918, Clark saw the potential for these machinery and started selling them.
From a simple tractor with an attachment, the forklift design changed during the 1920s, to a dedicated equipment equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more sophisticated with the Second World War. The forklift played an important part during this time in the handling of supplies for various armies throughout the world. It was also at this time that the introduction of the wooden pallet proved the need for the lift truck in the material handling business.
Lift trucks gained momentum and continued to develop when the Second World War ended. During the 1950s, battery operated forklifts made an appearance. There were other more specialized forklift models introduced like for example the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This particular model was made by the Raymond Corporation. During 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.
Today, the forklift could be powered by numerous fuel options like diesel, electrical battery, gasoline, compressed natural gas or CNG, LPG or liquid propane gas. The first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It currently runs on lithium ion and diesel battery. This kind utilizes thirty nine percent less fuel than existing models. Statistics show that its carbon dioxide emissions are about 14.6 tons less compared to those forklift models which are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.