Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It has one telescopic boom that extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the rear. It works much more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be equipped with different types of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also referred to as a telehandler, this kind of equipment is usually used in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is often utilized to transport loads to and from places which will be difficult for a conventional forklift to access. Telehandlers are normally utilized to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for carrying loads onto other high areas and rooftops.
There is just one major limitation in using telehandlers. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the vehicle to destabilize when it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity decreases when 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. First versions consisted of a driver's cab on the back section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but nowadays the most popular design has a rigid chassis along with a side cab and rear mounted boom.