Raymond Corp Marks 75 Years of Reach-Fork Truck Patent
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Greene, N.Y. – September 18, 2026 -- The Raymond Corporation is marking the 75th anniversary of the patent behind its Reach-Fork® Truck, the invention credited with establishing the narrow-aisle warehousing concept as an industry standard.
Patent granted in 1951 created narrow-aisle material handling category
On Aug. 14, 1951, Raymond founder George Raymond Sr. and engineer Christian D. Gibson were granted a U.S. patent for a power-driven narrow-aisle material handling truck. The design allowed operators to maneuver in aisles less than 7 feet wide and stack pallets multiple tiers high, letting warehouses increase storage density without expanding their physical footprint.