Telescopic handlers are somewhat like forklifts. It has one telescopic boom which extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the back. It works 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 muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also called a telehandler, this particular type of machinery is normally utilized in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is often used to transport loads to and from areas which will be hard for a conventional forklift to access. Telehandlers are frequently utilized to unload pallets from inside a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for lifting loads onto rooftops and other high areas.
There is only one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the vehicle to destabilize when it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity decreases as the distance between the center of the load and the front of the wheels increases.
The Matbro company developed telehandlers within England. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. Initial versions had a driver's cab on the rear section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but these days the design that is most popular has a strong chassis together with a rear mounted boom and side cab.