Sideloaders have become a great choice for lots of businesses needing to perform handling jobs on unconventional loads. Sales of these units are small however, taking up 1% to 5% of the worldwide forklift market.
Commonly, side-loaders are used within the aluminum, timber, glass, steel, aviation and construction industries. Additionally, they are utilized within businesses that are making unusual objects like windmill arms and moldings. Basically any business that produces awkward or oversized long objects uses the side-loaders.
In the start of the 1950's, Henry Le Grande Lull from the Lull Manufacturing Company originally made the sideloader lift truck. These early models were requested from the US Air Force. The original idea was patented for commercial utilization but it was not made until Lull Manufacturing was taken over in the year 1959 by the Baker Raulang Company. It was Baker Raulang who put the design into production. Afterward, the name was changed to Baker Traveloader. In the late 1950s, the side-loaders were introduced to Europe. The beginning units were designed by Italian manufacturer Fiora and the afterwards B-P Battioni e Pagani who pioneered the machine's utilization in timber yards.
The side-loader is a little different from the counterbalanced forklift, because the conventional forward-traveling lift trucks have front facing forks whilst the side-loader has side facing forks. The operator however will drive inside a cabin similar to those utilized in conventional lift trucks. The loading, unloading and lifting functions are performed by the mast located at the right-hand side of the driver. The cargo is typically transported lying on a wooden or metal deck. This helps to decrease stress, distortion and damage to the cargo. New innovations to the side-loader design have integrated a huge variety of lifting accessories being developed.
A few of the benefits of utilizing side-loaders over reach-stackers or traditional lift trucks include: enhanced visibility, safer operating conditions, and the ability to utilize available space more effectively along with faster traveling speeds.
Only once you evaluate your work setting and kinds of applications you will be putting your machine through, will you be able to precisely determine the best type of machine to complete your tasks. There are some good rental alternatives available as well in order to determine the right type of machine to suit your needs. Doing some research on the Internet or talking to a respectable dealer is another great way to get some information as well when trying to figure out the best alternative.