Even if sales volumes have usually been small, approximately 1% to 5% of the international forklift market; side-loaders have become the dominant choice of machinery in the material handling industry for handling unusual loads in a simple way.
Sideloaders are quite popular in the aluminum, timber, glass, steel, aviation and construction industries. Additionally, they are used in industries that are making unusual objects including windmill arms and moldings. Practically any industry which produces awkward or oversized long items utilizes the side-loaders.
Side-loaders were initially made during the beginning of the 1950s by Henry Le Grande Lull from the Lull Manufacturing Company. These models were designed in response to a request from the US Air Force. The initial idea was patented for commercial use but it was not developed 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. During the late 1950s, the side-loaders were launched in Europe. The early units were made by Italian manufacturer Fiora and the afterwards B-P Battioni e Pagani who pioneered the machine's utilization in timber yards.
Side-loaders vary a bit from counterbalance, forward-traveling lift trucks in that they have their forks situated on the side of the machinery. The operator drives the machine sitting inside a cabin like a standard lift truck. The lifting, loading, and unloading functions are done by the mast situated at the right-hand side of the driver. The load is usually transported lying on a wooden or metal deck. This helps to decrease distortion, stress and damage to the load. New innovations to the side-loader design have incorporated a huge range of lifting accessories being developed.
The utilization of side-loaders rather than the reach-stackers or conventional lift trucks: safer operating conditions, improved visibility, and the ability to use available space more effectively as well as faster traveling speeds.
Only when you evaluate your work environment and types of applications you will be putting your machinery through, will you be able to accurately know the best type of equipment to complete your tasks. There are several great rental options available too in order to know the best type of machinery to meet all your needs. Doing some research online or talking to a reputable dealer is one more good way to get some information also when trying to figure out the right alternative.