A telescopic handler is like a forklift. It possesses a single telescopic boom which extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight within the back. It functions a lot 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 bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also called a telehandler, this type of equipment is usually utilized in agriculture and industry.
A telehandler is most frequently used to transport loads to and from areas that would be hard for a conventional forklift to access. Telehandlers are usually used to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more practical compared to a crane for lifting loads onto other high areas and rooftops.
There is only one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom can cause the equipment to destabilize while it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity lessens as the distance between the center of the load and the front of the wheels increases.
Telehandlers were developed in England by the Matbro company. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. Initial versions consisted of a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the rear section, but today the most popular design has a strong chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.