Vertical-mast and rough-terrain forklifts keep lifting and positioning different building supplies on various jobsites even through the rise and evolution of telehandlers on the market. There are many traditional-style forklifts available within the material handling market 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 again due to their greater production, adaptation of some telehandler-like features and low cost.
The straight mast forklift can complete twice the job as a telehandler due to their superior handling and maneuverability along with their better ground speed. Fascinatingly enough, rental outfits are beginning to charge higher rates on straight-mast models.
Rental purchasers are having significant influence in the rough-terrain lift truck industry. Over 50 percent of all vertical-mast lift trucks are now being sold to a rental yard. These purchases are generally driven mostly by use, which is a factor closely followed by purchase price.
The telehandler has become a very popular machine in the material handling business. Their popularity has given them a better advantage in terms of rental utilization. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is some forklift users who feel that telehandlers are not practically as productive as opposed to traditional rough-terrain lift trucks for loading and unloading repetitive tasks. This means that even if competition amongst telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, a lot choose the RT lift trucks that have been working well for decades.
The telehandler is a bit slower machine in comparison to a rough terrain lift truck model. They are also ganglier to use and requires a higher level of skillfulness to finish the task. On the upside, they get the reach if they need it. There would continuously be a place within the industry for forklifts though, because there are locations that you will not be able to access with a telehandler.
The rough-terrain forklift is small, compact and could carry a heavier load vertically compared to the telehandler. Essentially, in order to use the best machine for your application, you will have to determine what tasks precisely you would be accomplishing, the kind of conditions and setting you would be operating in and what your load capacity is. All these factors would help you choose what the right options available are.