Even after the rise and explosion of telehandlers on the material handling market, rough terrain lift trucks and vertical mast forklifts could be found picking up and moving different products and supplies on jobsites around the globe. There have been numerous other traditional lift trucks which lost market share to telehandlers. This occurred specially when the challenger broke onto the construction scene. Since that time, sales numbers have become stable. Vertical-mast forklifts have re-emerged and seem to be becoming more popular again thanks to their greater production, adaptation of certain telehandler-like features and low cost.
The straight mast forklift could complete twice the job as a telehandler due to their superior maneuverability and handling in addition to their better ground speed. Interestingly enough, rental outfits are starting to charge higher rates on straight-mast units.
In the rough-terrain forklift business, rental buyers have been having a greater influence. Over 50 percent of all vertical-mast forklifts are now being sold to a rental yard. These acquisitions are usually driven mostly by use, which is a factor closely followed by purchase price.
Within the material handling industry, the telehandler has become the darling new machine. Its popularity has improved its benefit in the rental market too. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is some forklift users who feel that telehandlers are not nearly as helpful as opposed to traditional rough-terrain lift trucks for loading and unloading repetitive jobs. This means that even though competition amongst telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, many prefer the RT lift trucks which have been performing well for decades.
The telehandler is a bit slower equipment in comparison to a rough terrain forklift model. They are also ganglier to utilize and requires a higher level of skill to finish the job. On the upside, they get the reach if they require it. There would continuously be a place within the business for forklifts however, as there are locations that you could not access with a telehandler.
The rough-terrain lift truck is compact, small and could carry a heavier load vertically as opposed to the telehandler. Essentially, so as to use the best machine for your application, you should determine what tasks exactly you will be accomplishing, the kind of setting and circumstances you would be operating in and what your load capacity is. All these factors will help you decide what the right options available are.