A telescopic handler is like a forklift. It possesses a single telescopic boom that extends both forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the back. It functions a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with different types of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also referred to as a telehandler, this kind of machinery is usually utilized in industry and agriculture.
When it is hard for a standard forklift to access places, a telehandler is commonly used to move loads. Telehandlers are usually used to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for lifting loads onto other high places and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom can cause the machine to destabilize as it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity decreases when the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
The Matbro company developed telehandlers within England. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts used 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 design which is most common has a strong chassis together with a rear mounted boom and side cab.