Lift trucks were launched onto the market in the start of the 20th Century. These equipment have played a tremendously powerful role within the recycling business and have also revolutionized the material handling industry. The factors for safe operation, the lift truck's evolution and the many different types are discussed below.
History of Forklifts
These powered industrial trucks, also known as forklifts and lift trucks, were invented and launched to the market during the late 19th century. At first, these units were low lift trucks which were only capable of raising platforms a few inches from the ground. Normally, these kinds of machinery were used for transporting supplies inside a shop, such as work-in-progress situations. In the late 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and improvements in truck design began to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually developed and this allowed for better storage efficiency and stacking of loads.
In the 1930s, there were some extremely tough economic times. Nevertheless, during this specific time, labor was freely available but capital for investment was increasingly harder to come by. This situation really slowed the growth of forklift usage.
In the second World War, lift trucks became a strategic part of the war effort. In that era, vast shortages in manpower occurred resulting from the wartime enlistment. It was found that its driver and the forklift can handle the work of numerous men and were really productive. As the War progressed, a lot of women drivers filled the numerous demands. When the war was over, lift trucks became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were used a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Some of the leftover pallets and lift trucks 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 largest pallet pooling company in the world.
Gasoline/Diesel
Diesel and gasoline engines have a lot of advantages. They are always available around the globe; they are great for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and many drivers are quite familiar with the source of power.
Some of the diesel and gas engines drawbacks comprise: they require much more maintenance than electric versions, because of the emissions they release, they are not suitable for indoor applications, there is some difficulty and cost associated to disposal of fluid and oil and they require a re-fueling post on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.