The forklift, also known as a fork truck, is a powered industrial truck with two sizeable, vertically mobile prongs facing forward, invented in the early twentieth century. This type of truck is used to lift and carry objects over short distances. Despite its relatively recent origins, forklifts have been adopted worldwide by various industries, with the greatest period of expansion occurring immediately after the Second World War. When it comes to warehouse and manufacturing operations, a fleet of high-quality, well-made forklifts is indispensable, and any businessperson operating in these industries needs to make sure they’re arming themselves with the best forklifts that they can get.

The industry of forklift manufacturing alone has an estimated worth of around thirty billion dollars. That’s partially due to the forklift’s saturation of the shipping and warehousing industries during the two World Wars, when forklift manufacturers made massive leaps forward in terms of forklift technology in their bid to aid the war effort. Modern forklifts are powered by energy-efficient fuel cells and often rely on AC power, meaning that the carbon emissions of forklifts and those who use them are drastically reduced when compared to other industrial machinery.

Safety First

First and foremost, the safest forklifts are well maintained and well made. Poorly made forklifts and those that have been allowed to fall into disrepair present a dangerous, potentially life-threatening safety hazard to forklift drivers and those around them. Similarly, as with most forms of industrial machinery, proper training for your forklift operators and those who work around the forklifts is an absolute must. The risks of entering the workplace untrained are simply too high to ignore. It’s not unheard of for forklift drivers making sharp turns while the forks are engaged, for example, to tip over, putting them at risk of serious injury. Malfunctioning or inadequately maintained forklifts can jam, break down or drop their loads, which all present their own dangers and hazards. You’re far better off buying or hiring your forklifts from a reputable source that takes care of their fleet than risking buying badly maintained forklifts.

Buy or Hire?

You can buy or hire a forklift from Global Fork Trucks, for example, and rest secure in the knowledge that your forklifts have been taken care of by a team of professionals. The best forklift hire and sale companies place an emphasis on customer service and always put your needs as the client first, before any other consideration.

A good company should have a team of experts who can advise you as to how you can get the most out of your resources, whether that means helping you choose the right truck (or trucks) for the job, or working out a flexible finance package for your hiring or buying scheme. Choosing the right fork truck for your materials, floor surface and the level of training received by your personnel is an absolute must for every job, so consulting the services of a professional team of experts can provide you with invaluable advice.