Pedestrian forklifts – here, there and everywhere

From grocery stores to IKEA, what equipment do you find in every warehouse, retail warehouse and distribution center on the world?

If you're talking about pedestrian forklifts, you're right.

Pedestrian forklifts are quiet achievers of material handling equipment. They are widely used in material handling operations around the world, often for moving light loads over short and long distances on pallets, unloading trucks and doing low-level inventory picking. They come in a variety of models - from manual to electric, from pallet jacks pulled or pushed by the operator to electric walk stackers, or the operator sits or stands on a platform on the machine.

Despite COVID-19 and its global economic impact, the Industrial Truck Association reported that sales of such equipment increased by 1-2% in 2019/20, while all other categories saw sales decline. Pedestrian forklifts are essential equipment in various operations. They are adaptable, inexpensive to purchase and maintain, easy to use and operate, and require no specialized training. They can be used in very tight spaces and are sturdy and reliable. Pedestrian forklifts are simple in design and have recently introduced technology, new safety features and previously unexplored application extensions.