Telescopic handlers are a bit like forklifts. It has one telescopic boom which extends forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight within the back. It works much more like a crane than a forklift. The boom could be outfitted with various kinds of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also called a telehandler, this particular kind of machinery is commonly used in agriculture and industry.
When it is difficult for a conventional forklift to access places, a telehandler is usually used to transport loads. Telehandlers are commonly utilized to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for carrying loads onto other high areas and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom can cause the machine to destabilize while it extends. Hence, the lifting capacity lessens 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 mainly on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. Early versions consisted of a driver's cab on the rear section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but today the design that is most common has a strong chassis together with a rear mounted boom and side cab.