Telescopic handlers are somewhat similar to forklifts. It possesses a single telescopic boom that extends both upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight located within the back. It works much more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be outfitted with a variety of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a lift table, bucket or muck grab. Also called a telehandler, this kind of machinery is commonly utilized in agriculture and industry.
When it is hard for a standard forklift to access areas, a telehandler is frequently used to transport loads. Telehandlers are usually utilized to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for carrying loads onto rooftops and other high places.
There is only one major limitation in using telehandlers. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom can cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity decreases as 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 largely 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 most common design has a rigid chassis with a side cab and rear mounted boom.