Pallet Trucks – what’s in a name?
Posted on | Posted in General
Specialist industry ‘speak’ applies as much to the materials handling industry as any other and so to try and to simplify things here’s a brief introduction the world of hand trucks. Starting with trucks that move pallets we have hand pallet trucks, pallet trucks, pump trucks, pump ups, Rolatrucs®, collis trucks and pallet jacks. These all refer to the same thing – a manual truck moving pallets horizontally by manpower alone.
Then come hilifts, high lifts and pallet scissor lifts, which all refer to pallet trucks that lift to about 700 mm to make loading/unloading a pallet easier. They’re also push/pull units but may have powered lift.
Stackers, manual stackers, straddle stackers and support arm stackers are not pallet trucks at all although they may be used to lift pallets! They have forks moving up and down a mast and are really pedestrian operated fork trucks!
This is before we start on powered pallet trucks, powered lift pallet trucks, powered stackers etc.
If you use other names for the humble pallet truck we’d like to hear from you. If it’s appropriate (!) we’ll add it to the list so come on – confuse us even further!