2. Telescopic boom trucks

While the all-terrain forklift was born from the hybridization of an agricultural tractor and a forklift, the telescopic boom forklift is a hybrid of an all-terrain forklift and a telescopic boom crane. By replacing the vertical mast with a telescopic boom, the advantages of both machines have been combined to create an extremely versatile tool (figure 3 ). This type of forklift is referred to in regulatory texts as a variable-reach forklift.

From the forklift truck, it has retained the fork, which enables the load to be picked up directly without manual intervention. But like the crane, it can pick up and set down loads well in front of the front axle and, crucially, without moving the machine. Indeed, one of the most delicate maneuvers when using a conventional forklift truck is picking...