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.
Grocery industry challenge in the 1940s prompted the original design
The innovation traced back to a challenge raised by a grocery industry consultant: wide-aisle warehousing consumed excessive floor space for lift truck travel, cutting into available product storage. George Raymond Sr. developed the narrow-aisle concept and a purpose-built lift truck in response.
Modern Reach-Fork trucks now integrate telematics and operator-assist technology
Today's Reach-Fork models can be equipped with Raymond's iWAREHOUSE® telematics portfolio, a scalable suite that tracks, records and reports data on industrial lift trucks, operators and batteries across mixed fleets. Shannon Curtis, director of product marketing at The Raymond Corporation, said the truck has evolved into a connected system incorporating telematics and operator-assist tools that give operations greater visibility and efficiency.
Company wraps a Reach-Fork Truck to commemorate the milestone
Raymond specially wrapped a Reach-Fork Truck to mark the anniversary and plans to honor the innovation, along with the people behind it, throughout the year via events for associates, customers and the broader community.