Telescopic handlers are a bit like forklifts. It has a single telescopic boom that extends both forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the rear. It functions much more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be outfitted with a variety of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also referred to as a telehandler, this type of machine is usually used in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is often used to move loads to and from places which will be difficult for a standard forklift to access. Telehandlers are normally utilized to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for lifting loads onto other high areas and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the machine to destabilize when it extends. Therefore, the lifting capacity decreases when the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
The Matbro company developed telehandlers in England. Their design was based largely on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. First models had a centrally mounted boom on the front and a driver's cab on the back section, but nowadays the most popular design has a strong chassis with a rear mounted boom and side cab.