44_SHD_April 2/4/07 09:45 Page 44
■ Fork Lift Trucks
Clark is back...
...although it hadn’t ever gone away!
American company Clark, which celebrates 90 years of manufacturing materials handling
equipment, chose IMHX 2007 to emphasise its pedigree, as well as demonstrate its
current range.
Back in the year 1917, visitors to the axle the first petrol-driven three-wheel hauler with
manufacturer Clark in Lexington, USA a draw bar pull of 680kg (1,500lb) the smart
were quite astonished when they caught name Duat – Do this, do that! This model also
sight of a brand-new vehicle for in-plant served as the basis for the first petrol-driven
material transport which had been built by forklift in 1924.
Eugene Clark. It featured such a great Three years later, in 1927, another
number of advantages that it did not take technological milestone was set: Clark
long until the first orders were taken. developed the so-called Clarktor, i.e. the first
While eight Clark forklifts were built and petrol-driven four-wheel hauler featuring a
sold in 1918, the number considerably Draw Bar Pull of 950-5,400kg (2,100-
increased to more than 75 units in the 12,000lb). In 1928, the future of the forklift
following year. Today Clark, often referred was anticipated when Clark introduced the
to as ‘The Forklift’ due to its pioneering Tructier that later turned out to be the
activities, ranks among the leading forerunner of the modern Clark forklifts.
That was then... Clark’s pedigree in materials
suppliers in the industry sector and, in
handling stretches back to 1917.
2007, celebrates the 90th anniversary of the 94,000 Clark forklifts for America major step in technology: Clark developed the
forklift. 1942 was the year when drive efficiency first nested roller upright with I-beams. This
became a major topic as Clark started to build innovative design enormously improved the
1917 to 1928 the Carloader. It was the first electric-driven strength and load stability of the upright.
Three years after the invention of the forklift, forklift which operated a complete work shift. Then, in 1967, the double hit: again, Clark is
i.e. 1920, Clark presented another practical However because of the outbreak of the the first in the industry sector to introduce the
innovation by launching the Truclift. With a Second World War, production was overhead guard as standard equipment for its
lifting capacity ranging from 1,800-4,500kg rescheduled (production from 1945 on). rider sit down models. In addition, the TW
(4,000 to 10,000lb), it was the very first Clark managed to cover 90 per cent of the was developed as the first highly
forklift featuring a hydraulic system for lifting US administration’s demand for forklifts maneuverable three-wheel electric forklift on
and lowering loads to be employed by between 1941 and 1945 in an almost single- the market.
industrial companies. handed way. The production capacities grew 1972 was another key year. The first
In 1923, Clark’s marketing strategists gave enormously: in 1939, Clark sold more than electric forklift with a switchable multi-
This is now... The new S60.
500 units. In the four years of war with US voltage system featured a technology that
participation, however, production rose to allowed different power settings to be adapted
approximately 23,500 units per year and to the respective applications. In 1976, Clark
forced the company to work in three-shift proved its success by reaching the magical
operations per day. This did not keep Clark number of 500,000 forklifts produced.
from dealing with safety issues: in 1943, the In 1983, Clark managed to increase its
company was the first manufacturer in the technological advance by using its leading
forklift industry world-wide to attach market position in the development of
warning, and safety stickers onto its vehicles. operator restraint systems. The safety seat
with restraints and safety belt was designed to
Design, technology and safety keep the operator safely inside the forklift in
After the end of World War II, Clark gained a the event of the forklift tipping-over. This
foothold in Europe. The first Clark forklift type of seat became a standard component
arrived on the continent as early as 1945. In with forklifts equipped with internal
1952, Clark broadened its portfolio by adding combustion engines.
forklift operator training programmes. At that Clark correspondingly offered a retrofitting
time, it was a unique idea. set for all units on the market and, for the sake
The year 1956 saw another of general safety, even agreed to make the
44 ShD April 2007 www.PressOnShD.com
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