5 Common Types of Forklifts and Their Uses

Forklifts are must-have for warehouses and factories, for they are indispensable when it comes to moving heavy loads around the facility. Forklifts come in both mobile and fixed variants; mobile forklifts are small vehicles that can carry loads around quickly from point A to point B, whereas fixed forklifts are huge machines that are used to mainly shift loads or move them over short distances.

They are of many types depending on their designed load capacity and equipment used. If you are looking at forklifts for your warehouse and finding it hard to decide which ones to buy, here are 5 most common forklifts used in warehouses across America:

Warehouse Forklifts

This is the most common type of forklift used in warehouses. They are instantly recognizable because of their small size and the one-man driver seat with lifters attached to the front of the vehicle. These trucks have a loading capacity of up to 5 tons and are best for transporting loads over short distances inside the warehouse compound.

Counterbalance Forklifts

It resembles warehouse forklifts in terms of appearance, but the technique employed for lifting is entirely different. The most common differentiating factor between counterbalance and warehouse forklifts is the presence of 3 wheels in the former as compared to 4 wheels in the latter. They have a weight on the back of the vehicle to counter the weight loaded in front. Their small footprint makes them ideal for small warehouses or tightly packed ones where they can maneuver easily.

Sideway Forklifts

Warehouse forklifts are good and all, but what if you need to move long items such as beams or tubes? Sideway forklifts are used for that very purpose; they have lifts mounted on their side which makes it easy to transport long materials without hindering the movement or the path of transport.

Telescopic Forklifts

Unlike the maneuverable and smaller forklifts mentioned above, telescopic forklifts are way bigger in size and carry much larger loads to match. They usually have the appearance of a crane attached with a lifting arm that can be used to lift heavy loads. They are generally used to lift loads to higher elevations and are typically used outdoors.

Pallet Jacks

These are the smallest forklifts available out there and are used to lift medium-sized loads over long distances inside the warehouse. These are also cheaper than other types of forklifts and are a great option for tightly packed warehouses that deals in medium weight loads that are not too heavy. They can either be manually operated or battery operated.