A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It possesses a single telescopic boom that extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the back. It functions much more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with a variety of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also referred to as a telehandler, this kind of machinery is normally utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access areas, a telehandler is frequently used to transport loads. Telehandlers are normally utilized to unload pallets from within 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. Despite counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom can cause the vehicle to destabilize as it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity lessens when the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
Telehandlers were developed in England by the Matbro company. Their design was based mostly on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. Early models consisted of a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but today the most popular design has a strong chassis together with a side cab and rear mounted boom.