Classification of Forklift Trucks
Forklift trucks have been working its magic for about 100 years now. Even today, this piece of equipment is found in every warehouse operation throughout the globe.
Because of WWI, there were shortages of manpower that resulted in the creation of the very first forklifts. Businesses like for example Clark and Yale & Town introduced the material handling machine that used powered lift tractors inside their factories. In 1918, Clark saw the potential for these machinery and started selling them.
It was in the 1920s that the forklift design changed from a tractor with an attachment to a dedicated machinery that was equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more advanced 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 that solidified the need for the lift truck in the material handling business.
Forklifts gained momentum and continued to develop as soon as WWII ended. During the 1950s, battery driven forklifts made an appearance. There were other more specialized forklift models introduced such as the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This particular model was made by the Raymond Corporation. During the 1960s and 1970s, improvements were made within the electronic controls area. This made forklifts a lot more versatile and companies were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
There are numerous options you could use to power a forklift today. These include electric battery, diesel, CNG or compressed natural gas, gasoline, liquid propane gas or LPG. The first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It now runs on diesel battery and lithium ion. This kind consumes 39 percent less fuel compared to existing models. Statistics show that its carbon dioxide emissions are about 14.6 tons less than those types of forklifts which are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.