Access at the speedway

Although, as Richard Bryant, general manager of dealer King Highway equipment in Leicestershire said, “some segments [of the UK access industry] appear to be very cautious right now, bigger machines are going exceptionally well.” Proving that point, he hopes to get customer permission to divert a 61 m working height Wumag Elevant WT 610 from delivery long enough to show at SED.

Perhaps another sign of market confidence is that Haulotte is returning to SED this year. On show will be its new 28 m working height telescopic boom, the H28 TJ+. The machine features a 6 m telescopic jib, outreach of 23 m and 350 kg of basket capacity.

Also high above Rockingham will be the 38 m working height SB126 on UpRight Powered Access' stand. The company says it will show at SED its full product range for the first time. The acquisition of Snorkel in the US by UpRight owner, the Tanfield Group, has allowed it to complete its line-up with new diesel-powered boom lifts up to 40 m in working height, as well as rough-terrain scissor lifts.

New, too, from Bil-Jax in the US and making its offcial UK launch on new dealer Promax Access's stand will be 15.6 m working height 45XA. The self-propelled X-boom model, which weighs under 2100 kg and is towable by a light-duty truck.

“It will really bridge the gap between trailer mounts and truck mounts,” said Shaun Day, director of Promax. Also on the stand will be the Bil-Jax 3522A trailer-mount, with its horizontal rotating jib and crane mechanism.

Promax will also display crawlers from Italian manufacturer Platform Basket, including the new 15 m working height RQG 1575 and 18 m RQG 1875 models, which feature extending tracks, easy-to- use controls, and automatic work envelope adjustment to basket load.

Genie's access equipment showing will include its latest electric scissor, the GS-3232DC, and the Z-40/23N RJ articulating boom. JLG told AI that telehandlers are its SED emphasis, and it will show a representative set of its aerial platforms.

Allan Access's showing at the speedway will be on other company's stands. A 15 m working height V150 boom on a Marooka (tracked) carrier will be on that company's stand, and a new, lightweight, 20 m working height DA20 boom will be on Isuzu's stand. On the Mercedes-Benz stand will be an insulated OM42 boom from Terex Utilities, which Allan, Terex's dealer in the UK, has mounted on a Unimog.

Turning now to describing telehandlers at SED, prominent on JLG's stand will be the recently introduced “super compact” model 2505, which has a 2.5 t lift capacity and 5.5 m lift height.

Leading Genie's presentation of telehandlers will be the redesigned GTH-2506 telehandler. Changes include a new 50 kW Deutz engine, a re-engineered cab, a modified boom, and upgraded hydraulics. The machine now lifts 900 kg at its maximum, reach, 100 kg more than the previous version. You can see it on Genie's stand and also watch it in operation on the Terex stand.

Visitors can see the first UK showing for the “super compact”, 4900 kg TH255 and the 9360 kg TH414 telehandlers from Caterpillar. The TH255 has a load capacity of 2500 kg and lift height of 5.6 m, and the TH414 has a 3700 kg capacity and lift height of 13.7 m.

Bobcat will show its new T2250 model, as well as a new access platform attachment mounted on its 17 m T40179. Also showing telehandlers at SED will be Faresin, Manitou, Merlo, and Dieci.

An access show in the UK, perhaps the world leader in promoting access safety, would be incomplete without a strong safety message. Delivering that is the International Powered Access Federation, whose stand highlights its CAP Card (Competent Assessed Person) programme. The programme provides independent certification of competence to conduct six-monthly examinations of platforms, a UK statutory requirement.

So, that's SED and Access Days – safety, new access platforms and telehandlers, and the chance to put your finger directly on the pulse of the UK access industry. Be there.