Like many other inventions, the forklift was born out of necessity. In 1917, the Clark Company, a manufacturer of axles, created an internal transport vehicle that was named after the Tructractor, with the purpose of moving materials in its factory.

People visiting the factory saw the Tructractor at work and ordered Clark to build these unusual transportation vehicles for their companies. A few years later, the first motorized hydraulic lift was added to some of these vehicles to give them the lifting power.

In 1923, Yale was the first company to use forks that lifted loads off the ground and a lifting tower that could extend beyond the height of the truck. The Yale truck is considered the first forklift.

To increase production, some improvements were made to forklift trucks, including the introduction of the pallet, standardized in 1930. After World War II, the use and development of the forklift expanded worldwide.

With the increase in the use of forklifts, the number of hours worked increased considerably. Shortly afterwards, the use of forklifts became popular, and rechargeable batteries were developed that could last up to 8 hours of continuous work.

In the 1950s, the warehouses were verticalized, and forklifts with a capacity to lift loads of up to 15 meters were designed, a feat for the time. With the increase in elevation, safety measures were applied to the forklift, including a protective cage for drivers to prevent falling materials, and the load protector to better support the goods.

In the 1980s, more safety measures were introduced, and a technological development aimed at the front and side balance of the forklift.

Forklifts have become essential equipment in manufacturing and warehousing operations. In 2013 alone, the 20 largest manufacturers in the world registered record sales volume with 944,405 machines sold, and the forklift market in the USA alone had revenues of around US $ 33 billion.