Even after the rise and explosion of telehandlers on the material handling industry, rough terrain lift trucks and vertical mast lift trucks could be found picking up and moving different products and materials on jobsites all over the globe. There have been numerous other conventional lift trucks that lost market share to telehandlers. This happened specially when the challenger broke onto the construction scene. Ever since that time, sales numbers have become stable. Vertical-mast lift trucks have re-emerged and seem to be becoming more popular once more due to their greater efficiency, alteration of some telehandler-like features and low cost.
Straight-mast equipment will complete twice the work which a telehandler would do because of their maneuverability and ground speed. Interestingly enough, rental companies are beginning to charge higher rates on straight-mast models.
Rental purchasers are having major influence within the rough-terrain lift truck business. Over 50 percent of all vertical-mast forklifts are now being sold to a rental yard. These acquisitions are generally driven mostly by use, that is a factor closely followed by purchase price.
Within the material handling industry, the telehandler has become the darling new machinery. Its popularity has enhanced its advantage in the rental market as well. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is several forklift users who feel that telehandlers are not nearly as helpful as opposed to traditional rough-terrain lift trucks for loading and unloading repetitive tasks. This means that although competition among telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, a lot choose the RT lift trucks which have been performing well for decades.
The telehandler is a bit slower machinery in comparison to a rough terrain lift truck unit. They are also ganglier to use and requires a higher level of skill to finish the task. On the upside, they get the reach if they require it. There will continuously be a place in the industry for lift trucks however, because there are locations which you can not access with a telehandler.
The rough-terrain forklift is small, compact and could carry a heavier load vertically compared to the telehandler. Basically, in order to use the best machine for your application, you will need to determine what tasks precisely you will be accomplishing, the kind of conditions and environment you will be operating in and what your load capacity is. These factors will help you choose what the best alternatives available are.