Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It possesses a single telescopic boom which extends both forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the rear. It functions more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be equipped with a variety of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a lift table, bucket or muck grab. Also called a telehandler, this kind of equipment is usually utilized in agriculture and industry.
A telehandler is most frequently utilized to transport loads to and from places which would be difficult for a standard forklift to access. Telehandlers are commonly used to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more handy compared to a crane for carrying loads onto other high areas and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom can cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity lessens as the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
Telehandlers were developed within England by the Matbro company. Their design was based mainly on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. Initial versions had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but today the most popular design has a rigid chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.