Rough-terrain and vertical-mast forklift marketers have continued in spite of overall diminished sales. There are at least 19 various forklift brand names within North America, with over 100 different units available all over the world. In regards to manufacturers, there is practically the same number of telehandler manufacturers, even though their products are being sold under 24 different brand names. Understandably, some of the brand names market both telehandlers and lift trucks. Some of the main players in the business consist of brand names like Lift King, Tovel, Case, JCB, Ingersoll Rand, Omega Lift, Manitou and Sellick.
By borrowing some of the features which have increased the telehandler's fame, lift truck manufacturers have been able to increase their maneuverability advantages. Like for example, Omega Lift, AUSA, Manitou and Tovel use hydraulic chassis-leveling systems that allow the operator to square up the truck's frame when it is sitting on uneven terrain in order for lifts to be made more safely. This feature is offered as an alternative by Swinger, Load Lifter, and Lift King lift trucks.
Another telehandler-like technology is the 4-wheel steer. Omega Lift, Lift King, Tovel and Load Lifter all offer extremely durable and rigid framed machines operating on 4 equal sized tires. These four-wheel coordinated steering and crab-steering modes offer the fantastic maneuverability that rivals the 4-wheeled steering conventional lift truck models. There are additional flexibility options with the sideways shuttle crab-steer mode too.
The carriage sideshift could vastly enhance placement dexterity. The mast sideshift is a common feature now. This is found on most available lift trucks. It enables the operator to hydraulically move the mast several inches to either side of center. One more option is the carriage sideshift. This works by moving the carriage to both sides of the center of the mast.