TELEHANDLERS
A look at compact telehandlers
Like their larger-sized counterparts, compact telehandlers are typically the first machines on the job site and the last to leave. The applications for these smaller machines vary greatly from the initial phases of a large construction project, where the equipment can be found unloading trucks and delivering materials, to the closing stages, where they can be utilized for job site clean up and landscaping. Below are excerpts from a recent interview with John Boehme, JLG’s senior telehandler product manager, with more insights into today’s compact telehandler market… What markets and applications are served by compact telehandlers? The biggest market and application for compact telehandlers continues to be general construction. Other markets/applications include Residential construction, refurbishment construction, parking garage construction and maintenance, landscaping and hardscaping, as well as agriculture. An advantage of compact telehandlers in urban and suburban applications compared to larger models, or other types of equipment, is that they have a 28
Lifting Africa - Jan/Feb 2022
small footprint but still offer plenty of power. For example, trucks still need to be loaded/unloaded on job sites in space-restricted downtown areas, and when contractors need to move job site materials from place to place, they have to have equipment that fits on the road and can manoeuvre around various obstacles. Are compact telehandlers taking market share from skid steers? Why or why not? These versatile machines are able to complete so many different tasks on job sites, like loading (and unloading), picking up, carrying around, moving from place to place, lifting and placing materials and tools. This flexibility means that compact telehandlers are often one of the most highly utilized machines on a job site. With a similar size and footprint compared to a skid steer, but with the additional capabilities that only a telehandler can offer — additional lift height and forward reach, as well as exceptional terrainability — compact telehandlers offer contractors more options to choose from to get work done.
For example, the ultra-compact JLG® Skytrak® 3013 telehandler can be used in place of a skid steer to give you more reach, greater lift height, increased up-and-over reach and enhanced terrainability. But it also fits on a standard trailer, so it can easily be transported between landscaping and hardscape jobs. When choosing between a compact telehandler or a skid steer loader, it really depends on the work that needs to be done and the equipment solution that a contractor is looking for. Contractors would choose a telehandler when they need additional lift height, additional forward reach and/or exceptional terrainability. Due to their size, compact telehandlers make good candidates for hybrid power/electrification. Do you see this size category as a viable ‘green’ machine? Why or why not? Technology is continuously developing, and obviously, JLG is following this closely. Globally, the focus on reducing emissions produced by off-highway
