Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It has one telescopic boom which extends forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight located in the back. It works more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with various 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 type of machine is commonly used in agriculture and industry.
A telehandler is most frequently employed to move loads to and from places which will be difficult for a conventional forklift to access. Telehandlers are normally utilized to unload pallets from inside a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for carrying loads onto other high locations and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Therefore, 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 had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but today the most common design has a strong chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.