A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It has a single telescopic boom which extends forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight situated within the back. It functions more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be equipped with a variety of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also called a telehandler, this particular kind of machinery is commonly used in agriculture and industry.
A telehandler is often employed to move loads to and from areas that would be difficult for a conventional forklift to access. Telehandlers are normally utilized to unload pallets from inside a trailer. They are also more practical compared to a crane for lifting loads onto other high locations and rooftops.
There is only one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom can cause the vehicle to destabilize when it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity lessens as the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
The Matbro company developed telehandlers in England. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. First versions had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the rear section, but today the design that is most common has a rigid chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.