Even after the rise and explosion of telehandlers on the material handling industry, rough terrain forklifts and vertical mast lift trucks can be found picking up and transporting different products and supplies on jobsites all over the world. There have been numerous other conventional lift trucks that 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-surfaced and seem to be becoming more popular once more because of their greater productivity, alteration of some telehandler-like features and low cost.
The straight mast lift truck can complete double the work as a telehandler due to their excellent maneuverability and handling in combination with their better ground speed. Fascinatingly enough, rental companies are starting to charge higher rates on straight-mast units.
Within the rough-terrain forklift business, rental purchasers have been having a greater influence. Over 50 percent of all vertical-mast lift trucks are currently being sold to a rental yard. These acquisitions are usually driven mainly by utilization, which is a factor closely followed by purchase price.
In the material handling business, the telehandler has become the darling new machine. Its popularity has enhanced its benefit in the rental market as well. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is several lift truck users who feel that telehandlers are not nearly as helpful compared to traditional rough-terrain lift trucks for unloading and loading repetitive tasks. This means that although competition amongst telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, many prefer the RT forklifts which have been working well for decades.
The telehandler is a little slower machinery 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 job. On the upside, they get the reach if they need it. There would always be a place in the business for forklifts however, as there are locations which you would not be able to access with a telehandler.
The rough-terrain lift truck is small, compact and could lift a heavier load vertically as opposed to the telehandler. Essentially, in order to utilize the right equipment for your application, you would need to determine what jobs exactly you would be completing, the kind of conditions and environment you will be operating in and what your load capacity is. All these factors will help you choose what the best options available are.