Telescopic handlers are a bit like forklifts. It possesses one telescopic boom which extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight located in the back. It works more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be equipped with various kinds of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also called a telehandler, this particular type of machinery is normally utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a standard forklift to access areas, a telehandler is commonly used to move loads. Telehandlers are normally used to unload pallets from inside a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for carrying loads onto other high locations and rooftops.
There is only one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Even with counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom can cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity lessens when the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
Telehandlers were developed in England by the Matbro company. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. Early models consisted of a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but nowadays the design which is most popular has a strong chassis along with a side cab and rear mounted boom.