This report addresses the South American market for telescopic handlers, and is the first dedicated study on this line of equipment published by Off-Highway Research's South American service. The findings presented here are based on an in depth interview programme conducted earlier this year, supplemented by information from Off-Highway Research’s database for South America.

The origin of this equipment emerged in Europe, where one of its earliest pioneers, JCB, introduced its first Loadall in 1977 thus setting the foundation for what would become the modern telescopic handler.

Lifting capacities typically range from two to four tonnes in standard models, while maximum lift heights commonly vary between six and 18 metres. Larger, heavy duty units can exceed these ranges significantly, particularly in construction and industrial applications.

An interesting characteristic of this segment is the strong presence of European manufacturers. The market leaders, JCB (United Kingdom) and Manitou (France), combine to account for around 65 per cent of regional demand. This is largely explained by the structure of European agriculture, which is characterised by smaller farms that generated early demand for flexible equipment such as telescopic handlers, encouraging local manufacturers to refine and expand their product offerings.

It is also important to highlight Italian manufacturers, which, although they still have significant ground to cover in terms of market share in South America, are setting trends in terms of the number of brands. Companies such as Dieci, Faresin and Merlo have all played central roles in shaping the market.

In South America, telescopic handlers are still a niche but steadily growing segment. Demand is largely concentrated in sectors such as agriculture, mining, and rental, where their lifting capabilities and adaptability provide clear advantages over traditional equipment.

This report analyses in detail the current structure of the telescopic handler market in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, focusing on sales trends, market shares, local production, foreign trade, end-users, and future regional trends. It also examines the commercial strategies of the main manufacturers and distributors, and presents a sales forecast for the 2026-2030 period, based on rigorous fieldwork and data analysis.