In 1917, the first lift truck was created. The company credited with creating the modern lift truck is the American Clark Equipment Company.
World War I had created a labour shortage in many U.S. factories and warehouses, prompting the company to unveil the ‘Tructractor’—a gas-powered, three-wheeled prototype that is now recognized as the progenitor of the contemporary lift truck.
While Clark’s initial lift truck lacked forks, it wouldn’t be long before it received upgrades.
In 1924, Clark introduced a modified Duat truck featuring forks and a chain-supported mast.
This innovation marked a significant milestone, enabling goods to be raised higher than the truck itself.
As a result, factories and warehouses gained the ability to capitalize on vertical storage, stacking their goods to maximize space.
The rest, as they say, is history, and it is from this rich and dynamic past that Konecranes has evolved into one of today’s prominent players in the lift truck industry!
Image from: https://blog.kclifttrucks.com/
This article originally appeared on blog.kclifttrucks.com. Please read the original article here