Counterbalance lift trucks are basically forklifts that are designed with counterweight at the rear 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 typical lift trucks. When it comes to electric counterbalance lift trucks, the counterweight is formed by the battery itself.

Counterbalance lift trucks could usually be found in every manufacturer's product range. They are typically manufactured in a range of configurations and sizes, utilizing a variety of fuel sources. These forklifts can with pneumatic or solid tires. They are capable of working in various applications. These kinds of lift trucks are outfitted with different types of accessories. Common attachments and options include: slip sheet attachments, fork shifts, side shifts and hydraulic clamps just to name some items.

Counterbalance lift trucks have changed the material handling business. They have become the cornerstone of distribution and storage systems where they perform stacking, loading, unloading and horizontal transport functions. The standard warehouse forklifts are usually used for lift heights less than 20 feet or 6 meters. There have been some recently designed models that could lift to heights 9.5 meters or 31 feet. The smaller 1-1.8 ton or 4000 lbs. forklifts are the main workhorses in most warehouses. These are the most common models that most small companies will have. The average warehouse counterbalance forklift is a wide-aisle truck that needs approximately 11 feet or 3 meters to turn in.

Counterbalance forklifts are not necessarily confined to the warehouse. They are normally used for container carrying and heavy use along with pretty much every application in between. Counterbalance forklifts are the most widely utilized and versatile of all materials handling equipment.

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