Rough-terrain and vertical-mast lift trucks keep lifting and placing different construction supplies on different jobsites even through the evolution and rise of telehandlers on the market. There are numerous conventional-style forklifts available within the material handling market which lost market share to telehandlers. This occurred particularly when the challenger broke onto the construction scene. Ever since that time, sales numbers have become stable. Vertical-mast forklifts have re-surfaced and seem to be becoming more popular once more because of their greater efficiency, lower cost and modification of certain telehandler-like features.
Straight-mast machinery would complete twice the job that a telehandler will do due to their maneuverability and ground speed. Fascinatingly enough, rental companies are starting to charge higher rates on straight-mast units.
Rental purchasers are having significant influence in the rough-terrain forklift business. Over 50 percent of all vertical-mast lift trucks are now being sold to a rental yard. These purchases are normally driven mostly by use, that is a factor closely followed by acquisition price.
The telehandler has become an extremely common equipment in the material handling industry. Their popularity has given them a better advantage in terms of rental use. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is some forklift users who feel that telehandlers are not nearly as useful compared to traditional rough-terrain forklifts for loading and unloading repetitive jobs. This means that although competition among telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, a lot choose the RT forklifts which have been working well for decades.
In comparison, the telehandler is a little slower, ganglier to operate and requires a higher level of skill to complete the task. On the upside, they get the reach if they require it. There would always be a place within the industry for forklifts though, as there are locations that you will not be able to access with a telehandler.
The rough-terrain lift truck is compact, small and can carry a heavier cargo vertically as opposed to the telehandler. Essentially, so as to use the right equipment for your application, you would need to determine what tasks precisely you will be accomplishing, the type of setting and circumstances you will be operating in and what your load capacity is. These factors will help you choose what the right alternatives available are.