Counterbalance lift trucks are basically forklifts that are engineered with counterweight at the rear of the equipment. The counterweight works to balance the weight which the tines are carrying at the front of the cargo. This design is engineered to stabilize typical forklifts. When it comes to electric counterbalance lift trucks, the battery itself forms the counterweight.

Practically every lift truck manufacturer would have in their product range, a counterbalance forklift. These machines will come in a huge range of fuel sources, configurations, and sizes. These forklifts can be designed with 3 or 4 wheels, or be outfitted. They are capable of working in diverse applications. These forklifts are equipped with a variety of accessories. Common options and attachments include: fork shifts, slip sheet attachments, hydraulic clamps and side shifts just to mention some items.

The counterbalance forklift has in fact changed the entire industry of material handling. These machines are essential to the shipping and receiving centers around the world because they are used for loading, stacking, unloading and horizontal transport functions. The average warehouse lift trucks are usually utilized for lift heights under 6 meters or 20 feet. There have been some models recently developed that are capable of lifting to heights 31 feet or 9.5 meters. The smaller 1-1.8 ton or 4000 pound forklifts are the main workhorses within the majority of warehouses. These are the most popular models that the majority of small businesses will have. The standard warehouse counterbalance forklift is a wide-aisle truck that requires roughly 11 feet or 3 meters to turn in.

Counterbalance forklifts are not necessarily limited to the warehouse. They are often used for heavy use and carrying containers along with basically every application in between. Counterbalance forklifts are the most versatile and widely used of all materials handling machines.

The counterbalanced lift truck is common in many working environments, such as production, retail and warehousing. This is because of their versatility and durability. Some of the industrial use include: timber, automotive, food and chemical businesses.