Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It possesses one telescopic boom that extends both forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the rear. It functions 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 muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also called a telehandler, this particular kind of equipment is commonly used in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is often used to move loads to and from places which will be hard for a conventional 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 areas and rooftops.
There is only one major limitation in utilizing telehandlers. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the equipment to destabilize as 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 in England. Their design was based on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. Early versions had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but today the design which is most popular has a strong chassis with a side cab and rear mounted boom.