How have things changed for logistics businesses and workers between the 1920s and the upcoming 2020s? Cat^® Lift Trucks takes a trip back in time.

In 1920, everyone was struggling to recover from the 'Great War'. Sadly, it would not be the last. Today, in Europe at least, we enjoy peace and co-operation between countries. Politicians settle issues through discussion - usually polite! - rather than fighting.

Low-speed logistics

Goods distributed in the 1920s tended to be life's essentials. We now have millions of products to choose from - many of which are luxuries. Thanks to modern machinery, automation and digitalisation, manufacturing productivity is comparatively huge.

Lorries were relatively uncommon back then, with most goods being loaded first onto horse-drawn transport. For longer distances there were steam trains, while overseas trading depended on ships. Air freight was a very rare option.

Cranes could be used for items much too heavy for people to lift, but most loading and unloading involved manual labour. A few businesses had lifting and handling vehicles which can be seen as forerunners of machines like Cat^® forklift trucks, which now make work so much easier.

A hard life

Those labourers endured very poor wages and conditions compared to today's employees. Health, safety and welfare were much lower priorities to employers and legislators than they are now. Average life expectancy in Europe was about 57 years (today it's 81). For the poor workers and their families, with little access to medical care, it was lower still.

At home, they lacked the conveniences we take for granted today - like indoor toilets. Refrigerators, telephones and cars were beyond their reach. And both rich and poor had to survive without television, as it hadn't been invented yet.

People often talk about 'the good old days', but which decade would you really prefer to live in: the 1920s or the 2020s?



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