The skid steer is a multipurpose machine for a lot of farms, from moving dirt or cleaning barns to powering snowblowers and other tools. Think of it as a kind of hydraulic toolbox. Yet the compact size that makes these machines popular is also a challenge for some owners. Versatile, yes; long reach, no.

JCB brings an answer to that problem with its new Teleskid machine. As Ray Bingley, general manager of JCB ag sales, explains, this new machine fills a gap between the skid steer and the telehandler. "A skid steer is limited to what it can reach," he says. "This is a machine that can reach up to 13 feet, but it offers the same capacities as a skid steer."

JCB already makes single-arm skid-steer machines, called the Power Boom. It's one area that sets the company apart in the market. The company's YouTube page has a little fun with the design, showing its easy ingress and egress. With the one-armed boom, the machine allows for side entry versus crawling over the bucket to get to the operator station.

It's also a pioneer in telehandlers with its Loadall line of machines. It was 40 years ago that JCB launched the Loadall line, and the company now lays claim as the world's No. 1 maker of telescopic handlers on the market.

The JCB Teleskid brings together the compact size of the skid steer and the versatility of a telehandler that offers a forward reach of 8 feet and a lift height of 13 feet. The lift height is 8% higher than any other skid-steer loader offered.

That added upward and forward reach of the design means the machine can stack bales higher, fill bigger mixers and take on a number of extended-reach tasks. Yet the machine has the footprint of the smaller skid steer popular on a lot of farms. Power comes from a 74-hp JCB EcoMax engine that also meets Tier 4 final standards.

In track configuration, the Teleskid can lift 3,600 pounds; with wheels, it can lift 3,100 pounds. At full extension, the track loader version can lift 1,600 pounds, while the wheeled loader has 1,300 pounds of capacity. "This is a very efficient machine," Bingley observes.

Other specs include 24 gpm standard hydraulic flow for operating attachments when fully extended; an SAE/ISO standard quick hitch for using any skid-steer or compact track loader attachment; and a single-point, quick-hitch lock and unlock flag for increased visibility.

"The cab on the machine is also more roomy than a standard skid steer," Bingley adds.

The new machine is now available through the JCB dealer network. Learn more at jcb.com.