 The forklift has been a tried and trusted piece of equipment for decades and these days we take efficient materials handling kit for granted. But the story of how they developed from little more than modified trolleys to today's electronically controlled super models makes fascinating reading.
Warehouse & Logistics News is proud to bring you an exclusive series on the history of the forklift truck, the technology that has transformed the face of materials handling around the world.
Our writer is James Brindley, the Director of the National Fork Truck Heritage Centre and an acknowledged authority on forklift trucks. In James's distinguished career he has worked in engineering and management roles with BT Rolatruc and served as a Director of the Fork Lift Truck Association, before setting up the National Fork Truck Heritage Centre in 2004.
 Episode 12: The Marshall Plan - Read
On 5 June 1947 the American Secretary of State George C. Marshall made a speech at Harvard University about the deteriorating social and economic situation in the European countries.
Episode 11: 1947 - British trucks to the fore.- Read
1947 was a busy time for British manufacturers of forklift trucks, and for one in particular this meant searching for a new factory site.
Episode 10: 1946 - The Rise of the British machines - Read
As we come to 1946, we are now at the point in history where British companies were starting to design and produce an all-British version of the counterbalance forklift truck.
Episode 9 - War is over - Read
The Americans saw the marketing opportunity first, and during 1945 the Clark Company took steps to appoint dealerships within Europe.
Episode 8 - The War Years Read
On the home front, during the war a large proportion of most British engineering companies' production time was taken up in manufacturing armaments.
Episode 7 - The War Years - Read
As with the earlier conflict of 1914/18, the Second World War gave a tremendous boost to the materials handling industry, and in particular to the wider adoption of the pallet and engine powered counterbalance truck.
Episode 6 - The Eve of the War - Read
In the mid 1930s, following the purchases of The Walker Vehicle Company and the Automatic Transportation Company of Chicago, the Yale Company opened a manufacturing plant in Wednesfield, UK.
Episode 5 - After the slump - Read
Following the general strike of 1926, UK investment in automated handling came almost to a standstill as companies fought to recover their market positions
Episode 4 - 1926-8 Oil Hydraulics - Read
n 1928, the Clark Company in America unveiled their first production forklift truck. Known as the "Tructier," it had front wheel drive and was the first forklift truck on record to use oil hydraulics to lift a load.
Episode 3 - 1924-5: UK & US Innovation - Read
1924-5 was a particularly important time for the efficiency of the battery-powered truck, and especially for D.P Batteries of Bakewell, Derbyshire, a British company at the forefront of battery supplies.
Episode 2 - The First Forklifts - Read
During the First World War, much of Britain's male workforce went off to fight, putting greater pressure on the remaining workers and encouraging industry to make greater use of mechanisation in their materials handling.
Episode 1 - The Need For Mechanisation- Read
Ask most people within the materials handling industry why we have so many different types of machine to do the same sort of job, and they will differ greatly with their replies.
|
