A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It has one telescopic boom that extends both upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight located within the back. It works a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be equipped with various kinds of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also called a telehandler, this type of machinery is normally utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access areas, a telehandler is commonly utilized to transport loads. Telehandlers are frequently utilized to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more handy compared to a crane for lifting loads onto rooftops and other high areas.
There is just one major limitation in using telehandlers. Even with counterweights at the rear, the weight-bearing boom could cause the vehicle to destabilize while it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity lessens as the distance between the center of the load and the front of the wheels increases.
Telehandlers were developed within England by the Matbro company. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. Initial versions consisted of a driver's cab on the rear section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but nowadays the design that is most popular has a rigid chassis along with a side cab and rear mounted boom.