A telescopic handler is like a forklift. It possesses one telescopic boom that extends both upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight situated in the rear. It works more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be outfitted with a variety of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also called a telehandler, this particular type of machine is usually utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access places, a telehandler is usually used to transport loads. Telehandlers are frequently used to unload pallets from inside a trailer. They are also more practical compared to a crane for carrying loads onto rooftops and other high areas.
There is just one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Despite counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Thus, 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 largely on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. First models consisted of a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but today the design that is most popular has a strong chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.