You'll notice few pieces of heavy equipment that are as effective or valuable as a lift truck for companies and businesses that need to move heavy materials and items. Forklifts are a popular site in dockyards, manufacturing plants, distribution depots, lumber yards, agriculture, warehouses, shipping and receiving and other work places that has to deal with loads ranging from 3000 to 30,000 plus lbs.
Fork trucks are normally used to keep these operations running efficiently and smoothly. Though lift trucks are a huge investment, the amount of man hours they can save and the injuries they reduce from heavy lifting could make the purchase pay for itself in little time.
There are numerous different models and manufacturers of lift trucks available on the market. Different units are designed to accomplish different jobs. So as to make certain that you don't purchase more than you need or the wrong type of equipment, it is important to assess the requirements of your company and compare to the various models available on the market. Talking to a certified forklift distributor is a good idea and so is doing your own research online.
When looking at forklifts by fuel type, the following types are available:
Electric: Electric forklifts use heavy, large, rechargeable batteries which are lead-acid based. These batteries can run for around 5 or 6 hours straight. Electric units are best suited for indoor applications due to their lack of emissions. They are a popular alternative for warehouses and retail spaces since they put zero emissions into the air where people are working and provide a fairly low cost per hour of operation.
Internal Combustion: The internal combustion engine works on a range of different fuels such as CNG or compressed natural gas, others take diesel, LP or liquid propane or gasoline. In comparison to electric forklifts, the IC or internal combustion models accelerate faster, are easier to refuel and could carry heavier loads. These units are normally more expensive to utilize compared to their electric counterparts.
Fuel Cell: Hydrogen fuel cell lift trucks are the newest in lift truck technology. These models provide the fast refueling capability of an internal combustion model but offer the quietness and zero emissions of electric lift trucks.
There are a range of outdoor Nissan units which offer synchronized steering. This particular feature automatically returns the wheel knob to the original position after completing a turn. Equipped with solid pneumatic tires to offer a comfortable ride both indoors and outdoors, these tires are more resistant to both damage and wear.