The history of the hand pallet truck is usually traced back to the first decades of the 20th century

The history of the hand pallet truck is usually traced back to the first decades of the 20th century. In many manufacturing plants, the need to move raw materials and finished goods with greater efficiency was becoming increasingly important to meeting higher production levels. This early version of the pallet truck was helpful in transporting a small amount of goods from the warehouse to the production floor, but still did not offer the efficiency needed. With the invention of the hand pallet truck, a single employee could lift and move an entire pallet loaded with goods. The loaded pallet could be transported with ease, requiring less time or resources to move than carrying the materials by hand or even with the use of a hand truck.
One of the advantages of a hand pallet truck is that the device is relatively small. This makes it easy to use the truck in tight spaces where a forklift would never fit. The smaller size also makes it easier to ease through winding spaces that a forklift may or may not be able to negotiate. For this reason, it is not unusual for manufacturers to own at least a few of these trucks and have them available for use in various departments such as plant floors, shipping areas, and warehouses where finished goods are stored.