A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It possesses a single telescopic boom which extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight within the rear. 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 can also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also known as a telehandler, this type of machine is normally utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access places, a telehandler is frequently used to transport loads. Telehandlers are commonly utilized to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for carrying loads onto rooftops and other high areas.
There is only one major limitation in using telehandlers. Even with counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize as it extends. Thus, 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 mostly on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. First versions consisted of a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the rear section, but nowadays the design that is most popular has a strong chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.