Two men carrying furniture with the forearm forklift

A potential father's day gift for US dads may have the word "forklift" in its name, but forklift industry leaders don't see it as competition.

The Forearm Forklift is a pair of adjustable 9 feet 4 inch (2.84 metre) straps made of "super strength webbing", weighing 1lb (0.45kg) each, with a weight capacity of 600lbs (272kg). Placed over two people's arms and underneath an object, the device promises to lower the centre of gravity and reduce back strain.

A video on www.forearmforklift.com explains how the lifting straps work and claims the lifting technique eliminates spinal bend and reduces lumbar mass strain.

Forkliftaction.com News showed the website to leading forklift manufacturers in Europe, US and Japan. The two US-based companies declined to comment.

Based on the photographs, Jan Kaulfuhs-Berger from Jungheinrich AG does not think it is a strong competitor for the Hamburg-based company.

"I do not think we have products we could compare with a forearm forklift. It seems to be more common in the business-to-consumer market than the business-to-business market."

A Komatsu spokesperson says the Tokyo-based company also does not produce anything similar to the lifting straps.

"It is very unique and could be a means to carry things.

"[However] Komatsu's products are for heavier articles and for different needs. Also, the forearm forklift is operated by two and the conventional forklift by one. If there's a demanding application, an ordinary forklift should be employed."

US product information magazine Industrial Equipment News awarded the lifting straps Best New Product of the Year 1999.

But that accolade still doesn't make it a forklift!