A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It has a single telescopic boom that extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight located within the rear. It functions a lot 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 can also attach a lift table, bucket or muck grab. Also referred to as a telehandler, this particular type of machinery is normally utilized in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is most frequently employed to transport loads to and from places that would be difficult for a standard forklift to access. Telehandlers are usually utilized to unload pallets from inside a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for lifting loads onto rooftops and other high areas.
There is just one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Even with counterweights at the rear, the weight-bearing boom can cause the vehicle to destabilize as it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity decreases 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. Early versions 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 common has a strong chassis together with a side cab and rear mounted boom.