Lift trucks were introduced onto the market in the beginning of the 20th Century. These machinery have played a tremendously powerful role within the recycling industry and have also changed the material handling business. The considerations for safe use, the forklift's evolution and the various different kinds are discussed below.
History of Lift Trucks
These powered industrial trucks, also referred to as forklifts and lift trucks, were invented and launched to the market in the late 19th century. Initially, these models were low lift trucks which were only capable of raising platforms a few inches high. Generally, these types of equipment were utilized for moving supplies in a store, such as work-in-progress situations. During the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and enhancements in truck design began to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually evolved and this allowed for better stacking of loads and storage effectiveness.
There were really difficult economic times during the 1930s. Nevertheless, during this time, labor was freely available but money for investment was more and more difficult to come by. This situation greatly slowed the growth of lift truck usage.
Forklifts became a really strategic part of the the second World War war effort since the vast shortages in manpower in that time happened as a resulting of enlistment of thousands of men. It was discovered that its driver and the forklift were extremely productive and could handle the work of numerous men. As the War progressed, numerous women drivers filled the many demands. By the time the war was over, lift trucks became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were utilized a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Several of the leftover pallets and forklifts within Australia left behind by the U.S. Military became the basis for the Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool or CHEP, who today is referred to as the world's largest pallet pooling company.
Gasoline/Diesel
There are numerous advantages to using a diesel or gas powered engine. They are readily available around the world; they are great for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and many operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
Several of the gas and diesel engines disadvantages include: they need a lot more maintenance compared to electric models, due to the emissions they release, they are not appropriate for indoor applications, there is some cost and difficulty associated to oil and fluid disposal and they require a re-fueling station on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.