Telescopic handlers are somewhat similar to forklifts. It possesses one telescopic boom which extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight located within the back. It works more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with various types 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 kind of machinery is commonly utilized in industry and agriculture.
When it is hard for a standard forklift to access areas, a telehandler is commonly utilized to transport loads. Telehandlers are usually used to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for lifting loads onto rooftops and other high areas.
There is only one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the equipment to destabilize while it extends. Thus, the lifting capacity decreases as 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 on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. First models had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but nowadays the most common design has a rigid chassis with a side cab and rear mounted boom.