Irish manufacturer Aisle-Master has introduced its articulated, narrow-aisle 44S and 44W gas forklifts to the US market.

With a 67 horsepower LP gas General Motors engine, the Aisle-Master gives operators the versatility of operating indoors and out, which the company says is new to the US market for forklifts in that class.

"With hydrostatic drive and cushion tyres, the 44S and 44W can perform yard-handling tasks over semi-rough terrain as easily as they handle narrow aisle storage," the company said in a statement.

The models feature capacities up to 4,400 pounds (two tonnes), lift heights up to 30 feet (nine metres) and the ability to operate in aisles as narrow as 78 inches (two metres).

The trucks' articulated design allows the mast, forks and front wheels to turn 180 degrees, meaning loads can be placed on either side of an aisle without turning the forklift around. A side-shifter is standard.

"In addition to being a workhorse in large facilities, it's truly a general purpose vehicle and eliminates the need to have both reach and counterbalance trucks," Aisle-Master sales director Joe O'Brien said.