Counterbalance forklifts are essentially forklifts which are engineered with counterweight at the back of the machine. The counterweight works to balance the weight that the tines are carrying at the front of the cargo. This design is engineered to stabilize conventional lift trucks. As far as electric counterbalance forklifts are concerned, the counterweight is formed by the battery itself.

Counterbalance lift trucks can often be found in every manufacturer's product range. They are usually manufactured in a variety of sizes and configurations, utilizing a variety of fuel sources. These forklifts can be fitted. They are capable of working in various applications. These types of lift trucks are equipped with a variety of accessories. Common options and attachments include: slip sheet attachments, fork shifts, hydraulic clamps and side shifts just to mention a few.

The counterbalance forklift has in fact changed the entire business of material handling. These machines are vital to the shipping and receiving centers all over the planet since they are utilized for stacking, loading, unloading and horizontal transport functions. The standard warehouse lift trucks are usually used for lift heights less than 20 feet or 6 meters. There have been some models recently designed 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 in most warehouses. These are the most common models which the majority of small companies would have. The standard warehouse counterbalance forklift is really a wide-aisle truck which requires about 3 meters or 11 feet to turn in.

Counterbalance forklifts are not necessarily limited to the warehouse. They are usually used for heavy use and container carrying together with basically every application in between. Counterbalance lift trucks are the most versatile and widely used of all materials handling machines.

Due to their versatility and durability, counterbalance lift trucks are commonplace in a huge range of working environments, like warehousing, production and retail. Several of the industrial use consist of: food, chemical, timber and automotive businesses.