A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It has one telescopic boom which extends forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight within the rear. It works a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be equipped with different kinds 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 particular type of machine is usually utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a standard forklift to access places, a telehandler is frequently used to transport loads. Telehandlers are normally utilized to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more handy compared to a crane for lifting loads onto other high areas and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity lessens when 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 mostly on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. Initial models consisted of a driver's cab on the rear section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but these days the most popular design has a rigid chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.