ForConstructionPros.com

When compact telehandlers moved from Europe to make their North American debut, landscapers and farmers/ranchers quickly latched onto them. And while still extremely popular in both of those industries, they have also gained more acceptance and respect on construction jobsites.

In fact, compact telehandler sales are one of fastest growing segments in the U.S. construction market, says Brian Boeckman, product parent, North American Telehandlers, JLG Industries, Inc. "We believe they offer an efficiency factor to the jobsite because they can do so many jobs," he states.

While contractors in markets such as masonry and concrete jumped on the bandwagon most quickly, manufacturers indicate the machines' versatility is making them popular in many other applications, as well, including parking garages, multi-story construction, steel erection and framing. And until the recent market crash, many jobs in residential housing were being completed by these compact machines.

"They were used heavily in residential construction," says Eric Brown, product specialist, Bobcat. "But there are a lot of jobs these machines can do on other construction sites."

"Compact telehandlers are highly flexible jobsite machines that can do a broad array of work," agrees Jeff Goulait, Terex AWP senior product manager. "The smaller machine dimensions enable telehandlers to work in structures that telehandlers were previously unable to support."