A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It has one telescopic boom that extends forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight situated within the back. It functions more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be outfitted with various kinds of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also referred to as a telehandler, this type of machinery is usually utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access areas, a telehandler is usually used to move loads. Telehandlers are commonly used to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for carrying loads onto rooftops and other high locations.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with counterweights at the back, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize as it extends. Thus, 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 on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. First versions had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the rear section, but these days the design that is most common has a rigid chassis with a side cab and rear mounted boom.