Different Types of Forklifts You Can Use in Your Business

Forklifts are the most powerful vehicles that can be used by builders during construction work or by warehouse owners to move heavy loads. Forklifts are trustworthy machines that can safely lift heavy objects that humans are not capable of carrying, making them an indispensable vehicle on any job site!

If you are thinking which forklift will be best suited to your business needs and are unable to decide the style and model that you should purchase, we have you covered! Given below is a guide that covers different types of forklifts along with benefits of each equipment so that the selection process gets easier for you:

The Warehouse Forklift:

The warehouse forklift is the most recognizable type of lift truck and is like a golf cart with two forks visibly extending at the front. These trucks have a loading capacity of about 1 to 5 tons and are considered the best and safest for raising and carrying loads over short distances.

Side Loader Forklift:

Side loader forklift is a certain type of warehouse forklift introduced above. They can be used in heavy industries where bulky items are handled. The operator stands in a sideways compartment and the side loader unloads objects on its side. It is used mostly for lifting heavy objects such as pipes and timber. The sideways operation helps the forklifts to carry loads alongside racks and along narrow pathways inside warehouses.

Counterbalance Forklift:

Counterbalance forklift is another famous type of the warehouse forklift and as the name indicates, it features forks in the front and a weight at the back of the vehicle to balance the load at front. Its mostly used in situations where circle maneuvering is vital and necessary. The operator can hop on and off between loading and unloading and this type of forklift can directly reach the load as they have no extended arms. The 3 wheel variant allows an operator to turn in circles and maneuver as required.

Telehandler:

A telehandler has an extendable arm and boom which is very useful for lifting heavy weights off the ground to a higher altitude or elevation. The telehandler is actually a combination of crane and a forklift as the twin forks attached to its arm are used for moving pallets off the ground. A standard telehandler is capable of lifting heavy loads amounting to 5500 lbs. up to the heights of 55 feet off the ground.

Industrial Forklift:

An industrial forklift is a large capacity heavy machine and is a cross between the warehouse forklift and the telehandler. Its hydraulic levers give it a balance of reach and power and its use for carrying heavy loads specifically for industrial applications. It has a capacity of a maximum lift of load up to 30000 lbs. and can lift loads higher off the ground as compared to a warehouse forklift.

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