Forklifts come in a variety of types, each designed for specific tasks and environments. Here's a breakdown of the most common types of forklifts and their uses:
Counterbalance Forklift
Description: The most common type of forklift. It has forks at the front and a counterweight at the back. Uses: Ideal for lifting and transporting heavy loads in warehouses, distribution centres, and manufacturing plants. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor operations on smooth surfaces.
Reach Truck
Description: Designed with extended reach capabilities to access loads on high shelves in narrow spaces. Uses: Commonly used in warehouse operations, especially for high-rise pallet storage where forklifts need to reach into racking systems.
Walkie Stacker
Description: A pedestrian-operated forklift where the operator walks behind the machine and uses it to lift and move pallets. Uses: Typically used in small warehouses or retail backrooms with low-level racking. Suitable for lighter loads and tighter spaces.
Order Picker
Description: A specialized forklift that lifts the operator along with the forks, allowing them to pick items from shelves directly. Uses: Often used in distribution centers for picking individual items from high shelves (commonly in e-commerce warehouses).
Pallet Jack (Manual or Electric)
Description: A simple forklift with a pair of forks for lifting and moving pallets. They are either manual or battery-powered. Uses: Ideal for moving pallets over short distances in tight spaces, such as retail stores, small warehouses, and trucks.
Rough Terrain Forklift
Description: A heavy-duty forklift designed with large tires and a powerful engine for outdoor, uneven, and rough surfaces. Uses: Commonly used in construction sites, lumberyards, and agricultural fields to move heavy loads across rough terrain.
Telehandler (Telescopic Handler)
Description: A versatile machine with a telescopic boom that can extend forward and upward, resembling a crane more than a traditional forklift. Uses: Often used in agriculture, construction, and industrial settings for lifting heavy materials to great heights, like roofing supplies or bricks.
Sideloader Forklift
Description: The forks are mounted on the side, making it easier to lift long or bulky loads. Uses: Typically used in industries where long materials like lumber, pipes, or steel bars are handled. Common in timber yards and manufacturing plants.
Articulated Forklift (VNA – Very Narrow Aisle)
Description: Designed to work in very narrow aisles. The forks can rotate, allowing the operator to pick up loads without needing to turn the forklift. Uses: Perfect for warehouses with limited space and high storage density. Commonly used to increase storage capacity in confined areas.
Industrial Forklift
Description: A combination of a warehouse forklift and a telehandler. It can handle heavy loads and reach decent heights but is limited compared to telehandlers. Uses: Primarily used in industrial settings like factories and larger distribution centers for moving and lifting heavy materials.
Turret Truck
Description: Similar to an order picker but with a rotating cab that allows for picking and placing loads without moving the entire machine. Uses: Commonly used in very narrow aisle (VNA) warehouses where space optimization is critical.