What is a load centre and why does it matter?

A forklift load chart is a set of conditions, not a single number, and load centre is one of the conditions most often ignored.

Rated capacity is stated at a defined load centre — commonly 500 mm from the fork face. That figure assumes the load's centre of gravity sits at that distance. Long loads, wide pallets, or a load that is not evenly distributed can push the effective centre of gravity further out, and as it moves out, the safe capacity falls. The truck has not changed; the geometry has.

Lift height compounds this. Capacity also decreases as the load is raised, which is why a truck that lifts its rated load at ground level may not lift it at six metres. The load chart shows this as a curve rather than a single figure.

So when specifying, the useful inputs are the load weight, the pallet or load dimensions, and the maximum lift height — not just the tonnage. That is also why we ask for the load centre and lift height before comparing routes: without them, the comparison is against a number that may not apply to your load.