Masonry Magazine June 1997 Page. 27
Rough Terrain Forklifts
A History of Keeping Masonry Competitive
By Michael Adelizzi
Executive Director
Mason Contractors
Association of America
It is often said that time is money. Nothing can be more true than on a construction project where idle workers can be the difference between completing a project for a loss or for a profit.
Moving masonry materials from the point at which they are delivered to the job site to a location within easy reach of the mason on the wall is often a difficult task. Rough terrain at the job site, wet muddy conditions, and long distances between the delivery point and the wall under construction often present tremendous obstacles to overcome on every project. And an obstacle for making a profit.
The rough terrain forklift has allowed a cost effective way for the mason contractor and their personnel to overcome these and many other obstacles. Although, the rough terrain forklifts can be a high initial investment, the payoff in saved labor, time, and profit will often be returned in just a few short years.
The continual development of larger, more efficient forklifts with greater capacities has allowed the rough terrain forklifts to be used on larger and higher masonry built buildings, making the forklifts of even greater importance in the construction of a masonry building. Additionally, these new developments have allowed masonry to become more efficient in the construction process and competitive with competing construction alternatives to masonry.