Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It has one telescopic boom that extends both upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight situated within the back. It functions a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could 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 called a telehandler, this particular type of machinery is normally used in agriculture and industry.
A telehandler is often employed to transport loads to and from places which would be difficult for a standard forklift to access. Telehandlers are frequently used to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more practical compared to a crane for carrying loads onto other high places and rooftops.
There is only one major limitation in using telehandlers. Even with counterweights at the rear, the weight-bearing boom can cause the equipment to destabilize when it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity decreases 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 used in forestry. First versions had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the rear section, but today the most common design has a rigid chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.