Even after the rise and explosion of telehandlers on the material handling market, rough terrain forklifts and vertical mast lift trucks could be found lifting and moving different items and supplies on jobsites all around the world. There have been many other conventional lift trucks that lost market share to telehandlers. This occurred especially when the competition broke onto the construction scene. Since that time, sales numbers have stabilized. Vertical-mast forklifts have re-emerged and seem to be becoming more popular once more thanks to their greater efficiency, alteration of certain telehandler-like features and low cost.
The straight mast forklift can finish double the work as a telehandler due to their superior handling and maneuverability as well as their better ground speed. Fascinatingly enough, rental companies are starting to charge higher rates on straight-mast units.
In the rough-terrain forklift industry, rental buyers have been having a greater influence. More than 50 percent of all vertical-mast forklifts are currently being sold to a rental yard. These purchases are usually driven mostly by use, that is a factor closely followed by acquisition price.
The telehandler has become an extremely popular machinery in the material handling business. Their popularity has given them a super advantage when it comes to rental use. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is several lift truck users who feel that telehandlers are not practically as productive compared to conventional rough-terrain forklifts for loading and unloading repetitive tasks. This means that although competition amongst telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, many choose the RT forklifts that have been performing well for decades.
The telehandler is a bit slower machinery in comparison to a rough terrain forklift unit. They are also ganglier to use and needs a higher level of skill to complete the job. On the upside, they get the reach if they require it. There will continuously be a place within the industry for lift trucks though, since there are locations that you would not be able to access with a telehandler.
Rough terrain forklifts are normally compact machinery, smaller but more able to carry a heavier cargo vertically as opposed to the telehandler. Essentially, in order to use the right machine for your application, you would need to determine what jobs exactly you will be completing, the type of conditions and environment you would be operating in and what your load capacity is. All these factors would help you decide what the right options available are.