Telescopic handlers are a bit like forklifts. It possesses a single telescopic boom which extends upwards and forwards from the truck, and a counterweight located within the back. It functions more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with different kinds of attachments. The most popular attachment is pallet forks, but the operator could also attach a bucket, muck grab or lift table. Also known as a telehandler, this type of machine is normally used in industry and agriculture.
A telehandler is often used to transport loads to and from places which would be difficult for a standard forklift to access. Telehandlers are frequently used to unload pallets from within a trailer. They are also more handy than a crane for carrying loads onto other high places and rooftops.
The telehandler has one major limitation. Even with counterweights at the rear, the weight-bearing boom can cause the machine to destabilize as 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 within England. Their design was based mostly on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. First versions 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.