Vertical-mast and rough-terrain lift trucks keep picking up and placing different construction supplies on different jobsites even through the evolution and rise of telehandlers on the market. There are a lot of conventional-style lift trucks existing within the material handling industry which lost market share to telehandlers. This happened particularly when the competition broke onto the construction scene. Since that time, sales numbers have become stable. Vertical-mast forklifts have re-emerged and seem to be becoming more popular again because of their greater productivity, modification of some telehandler-like features and low cost.
The straight mast forklift can finish two times the work as a telehandler due to their excellent maneuverability and handling as well as their better ground speed. Interestingly enough, rental companies are starting to charge higher rates on straight-mast units.
Rental buyers are having major influence within the rough-terrain forklift industry. Over 50 percent of all vertical-mast forklifts are now being sold to a rental yard. These acquisitions are generally driven mostly by utilization, which is a factor closely followed by acquisition price.
Within the material handling industry, the telehandler has become the darling new equipment. Its popularity has improved its advantage in the rental market too. Their overall expansion has been moderated by their higher price. There is some forklift users who feel that telehandlers are not practically as useful compared to traditional rough-terrain lift trucks for unloading and loading repetitive jobs. This means that although competition amongst telehandler marketers has lowered their prices, many prefer the RT forklifts that have been performing well for decades.
In comparison, the telehandler is ganglier, a little slower to operate and needs a higher level of skillfulness to complete the job. On the upside, they get the reach if they need it. There will continuously be a place in the business for forklifts however, as there are locations that you would not be able to access with a telehandler.
The rough-terrain forklift is compact, small and could carry a heavier load vertically as opposed to the telehandler. Basically, so as to utilize the best equipment for your application, you would need to determine what jobs precisely you would be accomplishing, the type of environment and circumstances you would be operating in and what your load capacity is. All these factors will help you choose what the right options available are.