Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It has a single telescopic boom which extends both forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight located in the back. It works much more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be equipped with different types of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also known as a telehandler, this type of machine is usually utilized in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is commonly used to move loads to and from areas which will be hard for a conventional forklift to access. Telehandlers are normally used to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more handy compared to a crane for lifting loads onto rooftops and other high locations.
There is only one major limitation in using telehandlers. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize as it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity lessens as the distance between the center of the load and the front of the wheels increases.
Telehandlers were developed within England by the Matbro company. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts utilized in forestry. Initial models consisted of a driver's cab on the back section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but these days the most common design has a strong chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.