Telescopic handlers are somewhat like forklifts. It possesses one telescopic boom that extends both upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the back. It functions a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be outfitted with a variety of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a lift table, bucket or muck grab. Also called a telehandler, this kind of equipment is commonly used in industry and agriculture.
When it is hard for a conventional forklift to access places, a telehandler is usually used to transport loads. Telehandlers are commonly utilized to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more practical compared to a crane for lifting loads onto rooftops and other high places.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom can cause the equipment to destabilize as it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity decreases when the distance between the center of the load and the front of the wheels increases.
The Matbro company developed telehandlers in England. Their design was based largely on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. Early versions consisted of a driver's cab on the rear section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but nowadays the design which is most popular has a rigid chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.