The 10 best forklift manufacturers
No two forklifts are created identically. Each has its own dedicated uses and applications. Nowadays, there are a large number of forklift manufactures. NewMediaWire did the footwork in identifying the 10 best brands on the market.
Top Ten Best Forklift Brands#1 Yale
Yale is a forklift brand that has been around since the 1800s, though it began as a lock company rather than a lift company. The company produced the very first Yale forklift in 1920. If you look at Yale now, you can see that they supply forklifts to companies all over the world.
Yale is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, though ships its forklifts across the world. The company is a single-source supplier of ride-on lift trucks in both three- and four-wheel designs. Yale has a wide range of material handling vehicles as well, some of which are as small as 3,500 pounds and some of which are as heavy as 35,000 pounds. Whether you are on the construction site, warehouse, dock, or farm, a Yale lift is a great lift.
>> See Yale Forklift Pricing & Details
#2 Hyster
Hyster might just be one of the most popular forklift manufacturers around. Anyone who works in the materials handling industry knows the company name. Hyster was born back in 1929, providing consumers with top-notch material handling solutions and durable lifting equipment. Fast forward to today and Hyster has spread its wings over 130 countries with millions of lift machines coming out of its massive distribution centers.
People love Hyster, as the company has proven to be both trustworthy and reliable, especially when it comes to service. The brand has a wide range of lifts that would take us forever to discuss, though each is low-maintenance, top-performing, and promises increased productivity while cutting costs. If you’re searching for an all-around forklift brand to get the job done, Hyster is a great choice.
>> See Hyster Forklift Pricing & Details
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#3 Bendi
Bendi manufactures a wide variety of electric forklifts that are wonderful for narrow workspaces. We highly recommend Bendi forklifts to those who are loading and unloading on docks, racking and handling materials within interior warehouses or other narrow-aisle applications.
The Bendi electric narrow-aisle forklifts come with both three- and four-stage masts. They each have unique carrying and stacking capabilities that work for either standard, double-deep, or drive-in layouts. If you are working within doorways or long, narrow corridors, you should note that this is exactly where Bendi narrow-aisle forklifts excel. They are incredibly maneuverable and can fit around tight corners, both interior and exterior.
The load capacities for Bendi forklifts vary, though most of them start around 3,500-5,500 pounds. In terms of stacking height, the standard Bendi forklift can go up to 63” or higher, anywhere up to 84”. If you are working with less real estate and you need a forklift that is nimble and flexible to improve your organization and racking capabilities, Bendi is a great choice.
>> See Bendi Forklift Pricing & Details
#4 Drexel
Drexel is a brand that produces both front and side-loading, multi-purpose forklifts. These user-friendly lifts are excellent for both manufacturing and industrial environments. Drexel forklifts have the capabilities of four unique vehicles constructed into one and are designed around a unique loading swing mast. Essentially, Drexel forklifts combine a reach truck, a turret truck, a side loader, and of course, a standard counter-balanced lift truck.
Drexel has many forklifts in their lineup, which can be purchased as electric or IC-powered forklifts. You can purchase Drexel forklifts in standard sizes, as well as both narrow-aisle or very-narrow-aisle configurations. The very-narrow-aisle configurations are perfect for those spaces that are less than five feet wide.
Drexel has load capacities that start out around 3,000 pounds and move up to about 12,000 pounds. In terms of lift heights, they go up to about 31 feet. You can perform unique loading functions from the front or side thanks to the fact that the swing mast has the ability to rotate cargo at 90-degrees in any direction. Whether you are dealing with traditional pallet stacking or long-load stacking, Drexel lifts can get the job done.
>> See Drexel Forklift Pricing & Details
#5 Combilift
Combilift is a company that was born in Ireland, though currently distributes forklifts to over 85 countries around the world thanks to its massive dealer network. Combilift forklifts specialize in working with heavy or oversized loads. If you are looking for some of the largest forklift models that are purely functional without all of the bells and whistles, Combilift is one of the best brands of forklifts. They focus heavily on creating more muscle for their machines rather than implementing new tech.
The company has greatly expanded its lineup and now features a few new, high-quality machines, including the Combi-MR, the Combi-CS, and the Combi-WR. Combilift provides robust and durable forklifts that are great for both heavy-load and long-load lifting.
Ask any major forklift users around the world and they will tell you how much they respect Combilift for building purely practical and functional machines. They are somewhat of an industry standard when it comes to dealing with oversized loads, including concrete, steel, shipping containers, timber, and more.
#6 Toyota
You likely know Toyota as just about the biggest automotive manufacturer on the face of the Earth. However, the company has been producing forklifts for well over five decades now, giving them a sure spot on our list. In the United States alone, the company has produced over 500,000 forklifts. As with their automotive sector, Toyota produces a diverse lineup of material handling machines, including counter-balance lifts and pallet jacks.
The great thing about getting a Toyota forklift is that you can take advantage of their excellent financing options and their top-notch maintenance agreements. We have to say that Toyota forklifts are most popular in the shipping and receiving industry.
#7 Crown
Crown Equipment has been manufacturing some of the best forklift models since the early 1940s. They are currently headquartered in Ohio, though they are also one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of industrial forklifts in the world. When it comes to new technology, Crown is at the top. They are known for their fleet management systems and automation technology. The company has a variety of basic lifts that can lift up to 4,000 pounds, though they also produce heavy lifts that can lift up to 6,500 pounds as well.
It is important to note that while Crown sells new material handling machines, they also sell those that have been used and factory-reconditioned. The company puts a ton of focus on servicing, warranties, and component supplies, making sure that customers can use their lifts for years after they purchase them. If you work in the agricultural or warehousing industry, we highly recommend Crown forklifts.
#8 Komatsu
Komatsu started out in 1921 in Japan, though it moved into the United States around the 1970s. This Japanese manufacturer is well-known for constructing mining equipment, military equipment, and construction machinery. Komatsu has a huge dealer of lifts in North America now. They are probably known best for the KOMTRAX monitoring system, which is integrated into every modern forklift design that they have. The KOMTRAX system utilizes remote monitoring to keep owners up to date with the status of their machines at all times.
#9 JCB
JCB is one of the best private forklift companies around the world today. The company was named after Joseph Cyril Bamford, who was the founder. Nowadays, Joseph runs 22 plants on four different continents and has almost 800 dealers around the world! JBC lifts can be seen almost anywhere, as the company produces a wide range of models. They also provide customers with full-service packages and excellent financing options.
If you are working in a warehouse, on a farm, or around a construction site, we highly recommend looking into getting a JCB forklift. They are also wonderful for military applications!
#10 Clark Material Handling
Clark Material Handling company has been around for well over 100 years now. They built the very first company forklift back in 1917 and have been going strong ever since. The Clark Material Handling company is currently based in Lexington, Kentucky. They have a number of production and distribution plants around the world. The company has manufactured well over 350,000 material handling vehicles, ranging from order pickers to pallet jacks to stackers.
Clark Material Handling mostly focuses on manufacturing mid-grade lifts, which are great for warehouses, construction, and manufacturing applications.
Finding the Right Forklift Brands And Models For The Job
There are hundreds of different forklift brands in 2021, which also means there are thousands of different lift trucks around the world. when considering which forklifts may be best for you, think of the above, and which applications may be most beneficial in your warehouse. Then, purchase a product from a reliable brand that fits your needs.
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