Forklift Truck Classification
For little under a century, the forklift truck has been working its magic. Even now, this particular type of machinery is found in each and every warehouse operation throughout the world.
The very first forklifts were built because of manpower shortages which were caused by WWI. Businesses such as Clark and Yale & Town introduced the material handling equipment which used powered lift tractors inside their plants. During the year 1918, Clark saw the potential for these machinery and began selling them.
From a simple tractor with an attachment, the forklift design evolved during the 1920s, to a dedicated machine equipped with a vertical lifting mast. The forklift developed and became more sophisticated with the Second World War. The forklift played an essential part during this time in the handling of supplies for different armies throughout the world. It was also during this time that wooden pallets were introduced which proved the need for the forklift within the material handling industry.
Once the Second World War ended, the forklift gained momentum and continued to develop. In the 1950s, battery operated forklifts made an appearance. There were other more specialized types of forklifts introduced such as the Narrow Aisle Reach truck. This type 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 companies were able to look at warehouse efficiency.
Nowadays, the forklift can be powered by various fuel options like diesel, electrical battery, compressed natural gas or CNG, gasoline, liquid propane gas or LPG. The very first hybrid forklift was developed by Mitsubishi. It presently runs on diesel battery and lithium ion. This particular type uses thirty nine percent less fuel than existing models. Statistics show that its carbon dioxide emissions are approximately 14.6 tons less than those forklift models that are powered by internal combustion or IC engines.