Sideloaders have become a great option for lots of companies needing to perform handling jobs on unusual loads. Sales of these units are small though, taking up 1% to 5% of the worldwide forklift market.
Sideloaders are rather common within the aluminum, timber, steel, glass, construction and aviation industries. Additionally, they are used in industries that are producing unusual things like moldings, and windmill arms. Practically any industry that produces awkward or oversized long things uses the side-loaders.
In the start of the 1950's, Henry Le Grande Lull from the Lull Manufacturing Company initially designed the sideloader forklift. These early models were requested from the United States Air Force. The initial concept was patented for commercial application but it was not made until Lull Manufacturing was taken over by the Baker Raulang Company in 1959. It was Baker Raulang who put the design into production. Later, the name was changed to Baker Traveloader. In the latter part of the 1950s, the side-loaders were launched in Europe. The early units were designed by Italian manufacturer Fiora and the afterwards B-P Battioni e Pagani who pioneered the machine's utilization within timber yards.
Side-loaders vary a bit from counterbalance, forward-traveling forklifts in that they have their forks located on the side of the machinery. The operator drives the machinery sitting in a cabin similar to a standard lift truck. The lifting, loading, and unloading functions are performed by the mast situated at the right-hand side of the driver. The load is typically transported lying on a metal or wooden deck. This helps to decrease distortion, stress and damage to the load. Recent innovations to the side-loader design have incorporated a large variety of lifting accessories being developed.
The utilization of side-loaders as opposed to the reach-stackers or conventional forklifts: safer operating conditions, improved visibility, and the ability to use available space more effectively along with faster traveling speeds.
Only once you evaluate your work setting and types of applications you would be putting your machine through, will you be able to precisely determine the right type of equipment to finish your tasks. There are several great rental choices available too in order to determine the right type of machine to suit all your requirements. Doing some research online or talking to a respectable dealer is another great way to get some information also when trying to figure out the best choice.