APEX REVIEW: The best yet

APEX, May 2-4 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was hailed a resounding success by exhibitors, many of whom said it had been the best edition yet, with large numbers of high quality visitors on their stands.

More than 100 companies exhibited products, equipment and wares, which represented an APEX record, with 4,650 industry professionals attending the exhibition, compared to 4,400 last time the show was held.

“We are very happy with the visitor numbers,” said Michel Denis, president and chief executive officer of Manitou Group, reflecting on the first day. “We have had many customers on the stand.”

APEX ran alongside the International Rental Exhibition (IRE), and together the two shows recorded 6,250 attendees, including delegates at the European Rental Association’s (ERA) annual convention, which also took place at the same time.

APEX 2017 was organized by Industrial Promotions International BV (IPI) and is officially supported by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and ALH’s sister publication Access International.

Eline Oudenbroek, Holland Lift managing director, and Alastair Robertson, Universal Equipment owner, both said APEX 2017 was the best yet and they had made significant sales and connections during it.

Jonathan Vioni, export sales manager at Almac, which exhibited at APEX for the first time, added that it, “was a fantastic exhibition. Thanks to all the visitors and customers, old and new, for joining us.”

Visitors also commented on the community spirit which comes with a dedicated show such as APEX.

Lee Perry, business development consultant and longstanding industry professional, said, “It was a really positive couple of days at the APEX trade show, good to see so many familiar faces and get in some exciting conversations with many new ones.”

A vast majority of the biggest names in the access industry were exhibiting at the show, including; JLG, Manitou, Genie, Teupen, Skyjack, Multitel Pagliero, Holland Lift, Snorkel, Altrex, Imer, Power Towers, Oil & Steel, Haulotte, CTE, Bronto, Ruthmann, Time International, Riwal, Socage, Airo Tigieffe, Palfinger, Dinolift, Hinowa and Teupen.

Here’s what was new – and purchased – at the show. For further information, see www.khl.com and the June/July issue of Access International.

Airo Tigieffe showed two redesigned scissor lifts. The X14 EN is a narrow scissor lift with a 14 m height, 1.5 m platform extension and 230 kg capacity. The unit is 2.4 m long and 0.89 m wide and is electrically powered.

The X14 RTD is a 4WD, hydraulic transmission scissor with a front oscillating axle. The unit can be driven at its maximum height of 14 m and features a 300 kg platform capacity. It can accommodate up to three people in the basket.

The X14 RTD features a diagnostic system, fold-down rails, an on-platform limiting device, foam-filled tires and a Yanmar diesel engine. There is 230 V of electricity to the platform.

Both units are currently in production.

Dinolift’s new 28 m working height 280RXT was launched at APEX.

It is a lightweight all-terrain aerial work platform with outriggers, designed for sites with weight restrictions or where all terrain and leveling capabilities are needed. The 280RXT has a new boom profile, enabling a better outreach with more basket capacity than before, the company said. Adding to the benefits is a significantly higher up-and-over capability and a fly-jib, with maximum outreach being 16 m. Other features include an oscillating front axle, an automatic levelling capability of up to 10 degrees and gradeability up to 40 percent.

“We have listened to our customers and taken the feedback to our R&D,” said Karin Nars from Dinolift. “We kept all the good features of the current RXT range and added some new ones for an improved operator experience and overall performance.”

From the current range, Dinolift showcased the Dino 220XSE boom lift with a basket capacity of 350 kg and integrated telehandler function for material lifting up to 500 kg.

The machine on display was equipped with outriggers and radio control for increased safety and maneuverability when working on slopes. The optional outriggers enable working in up to 12 degree slope which is an important advantage in many work sites.

The Dino 220XTC crawler was also displayed. Robust, lightweight and compact, the Dino 220XTC features a gradeability of 43 percent combined with a levelling capability of 16 degrees. As optional equipment, the DINO XTC crawler can be fitted with radio-control for easier maneuverability, electro engine and non-marking tracks for inside operation.

Genie’s S-80/S-85 XC lifts were at APEX. The Xtra Capacity (XC) family complies with the overload restriction guidelines in the proposed ANSI A92 and CSA B354 industry standards in North America, as well as the current EN280 and Australian AS 1418.10 standards. The XC models can work with an unrestricted 300 kg capacity, or a restricted 454 kg capacity, while still leaving room for tools and jobsite materials.

“Our Xtra Capacity, electric and hybrid products have all been specifically designed to add value to the end-user experience, increase customer ROI by expanding their utilization, as well as reducing TOC,” said Adam Hailey, director of product management, Terex Aerial Work Platforms. “We are confident they combine the benefits that customers need to anticipate new challenges and look forward to the future with confidence. Focusing on safety, Genie also featured its new generation of secondary operator protection with the new Lift Guard Contact Alarm and Fall Arrest Bar.

Holland Lift delivered its 8,000th scissor lift, a 55-foot HL 190 H20 to Finnish rental company HRK.

The HL 190 H20 has an overall width of 2 m, and is equipped with the company’s parallel hybrid technology and benefits from its new modular line. This lift was sold by Rotator, the Holland Lift dealer for Finland.

JCB was next door to APEX at IRE with its new range of access equipment.

JCB’s first batch of 27 platforms were launched this year consisting of nine electric scissors from 4.6 m to 13.8 m in platform height. They are just the beginning; with five articulating booms – four diesel and one electric – from 14.9 m to 24.6 m platform height following over the next few months, plus 10 diesel telescopic booms from 20.6 m to 41.6 m.

JLG and Vertex inked a €20 million deal at APEX. The Russian distributor is investing in JLG’s Ultrabooms, telescopic booms and articulating boom lifts.

Vertex is the national distributor of JLG products in Russia and in 2016 invested heavily in the expansion of its activities, opening new offices in St. Petersburg and Kazakhstan. This year, two more offices will be opened in Krasnodar and Yekaterinaburg.

Lin Gong Machinery Group (LGMG) exhibited at APEX for the first time, showing a range of its scissor lifts.

Ares Song, export department head of the company’s aerial work platform marketing division, told ALH the company decided to exhibit because the industry urged it to do so.

“We want to be a part of the European market,” Song said. “We are very serious. We see the future for aerial work platforms [in Europe and] in China.”

The company, which experienced 30 percent growth over last year, had a further 30 percent growth the previous year, Song said. LGMG is currently selling in Northern Europe, particularly in Scandinavia. It offers 16 scissor lift models and booms.

Manitou Group previewed its new boom, the 220 TJ. The 22 m unit supplements the company’s current 26 m and 28 m offerings. The unit will be offered in two versions – a light 220 TJ and a high-capacity 220 TJ+ which will have a basket rated at 350 kg.

“Dealers and rental companies have been asking for an extension of our boom line,” said Francois Desbriere, head of product marketing management for Manitou Group.

Both models are equipped with a 2 m pendular arm that folds up, reducing the length of the machine when transported. The booms can also be slung with four chains from a single point for lifting.

The 220TJ and 220TJ+ telescopic booms are both equipped with a 4-cylinder 26 kW diesel engine coupled with a variable speed pump. The booms are equipped with a system that automatically adjusts the power of the engine to what is needed, thereby reducing fuel consumption and total cost of ownership. There is also a hydraulic block, providing smooth, rapid movements with complete safety.

Speaking to ALH and AI at APEX, Desbriere said the upcoming changes with the U.S. ANSI standards will allow for “more competition within the U.S.” and that Manitou will “soon” bring its boom line to the North American market.

During APEX, Riwal converted a JLG 1200SJP telescopic boom from diesel to electric powered. It follows the conversion of a 26 m boom to electric three years ago, and a 28 m unit soon after. It was launched to customers at Riwal’s depot in Amsterdam during the exhibition.

In the weeks following, Riwal sold three of the 38 m electric boom lifts.

The machines were purchased by Norwegian rental company Naboen, which has nine depots in its home country and operates more than 11,000 tools and machinery, of which 1,200 are aerial work platforms. For a range of jobs in construction and maintenance, Naboen said it needs 38 m boom lifts with reduced noise levels and zero emissions.

The key features of the JLG 1200SJP include 23 m horizontal outreach, combined with the electric power source, and provide a noise level below 70 Dba and no carbon emissions. It is battery powered and has a 400 volt integrated battery charger.

Skyjack showed its newest articulating boom, the SJ85 AJ, for the first time in Europe during the show. The boom is the largest of Skyjack’s articulating booms and features all of the same design elements that made the SJ63 AJ popular, the company said.

The SJ85 AJ features a 25.9 m platform height and working height of 27.9 m, horizontal outreach of 17.07 m, up-and-over clearance of 10.36 m and dual capacity rating of 340/227 kg and two to three people rating, to increase productivity and jobsite performance.

Snorkel’s new S2255RT and S2755RT, which were on display at APEX, are compact scissor lifts that have been in production in Snorkel’s facility in Levin, New Zealand for many years, and have been sold to customers in Australasia. They are now being introduced to the European market.

The Snorkel S2255RT offers a maximum working height of 8.5 m and a lift capacity of 420 kg from a chassis that is just 1.45 m wide.

In the same vein, Snorkel also now offers the S2755RT, a larger version with a maximum working height of 10.4 m and a lift capacity of 300 kg.

Socage presented the forSte 47TJJ, a 47 m working telescopic truck mount with double jib.

The platform can be mounted on a minimum 26 ton minimum GVW and has a maximum 36 m outreach and a safe working load of 600 kg - six workers plus tools - with a basket rotation of 700 degrees.

The forSte 47TJJ can be equipped with a hydraulic winch mounted on the jib, with 900 kg capacity, for use when the aluminum basket is removed.

In addition to the forSte 47TJJ Socage also showed the VT-VTJ van mounted series in Amsterdam, represented by the forSte 15VTJ, first launched at Bauma. It has a maximum height of 15 m and a jib.

During APEX Socage also presented the E Series truck mounts on 3.5-ton chassis, with a capacity of 300 kg mounted on the manufacturer’s patented X-Factor chassis.

Time International launched a new configuration of the Versalift LT-23-90-TB on the light and compact Fiat Doblo WorkUp chassis.

The unit features 9 m working height, 4.2 m of outreach and a single person fiberglass bucket with a capacity of 120 kg, with a capacity upgrade available upon request.

Despite the vehicle GVW of 2.5 tons, the unit offers 250 kg leftover payload even with a driver, a passenger, a full tank of fuel and the aluminum cabinets as seen on the demo model displayed at APEX on the Time Versalift stand.

The Versalift LT-23-90-TB takes up minimal space on the chassis resulting in a total installation length equal to the length of the vehicle at less than 5 m. Due to the compact dimensions, the unit is ideal for many low access tasks in crowded inner city environments.