A telescopic handler is similar to a forklift. It has a single telescopic boom which extends both forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight within the back. It works a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with a variety of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also known as a telehandler, this particular kind of equipment is normally used in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access areas, a telehandler is usually used to move loads. Telehandlers are usually used to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more handy compared to a crane for carrying loads onto rooftops and other high locations.
There is just one major limitation in using telehandlers. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the vehicle 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.
The Matbro company developed telehandlers within England. Their design was based 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 rear section, but nowadays the design that is most popular has a rigid chassis along with a rear mounted boom and side cab.