Access strong at Executive Hire Show

Access equipment was well represented at this year's Executive Hire Show, with many companies launching new equipment and plenty of news from the sector - here are the highlights in brief.

Ranger Equipment, the UK distributor of Teupen tracked platforms announced at The Executive Hire Show that it had sold the first Leo 25T Plus in the UK to AM Access in Stoke-on Trent. The Leo 25 T Plus is notable for its 18 m outreach which is 3m more than any other Teupen machine and said Arjen Snijder sales director Europe at Teupen, "50% more than any direct competitors."

The Leo 25T Plus is the fifth Teupen machine bought by AM Access in the last six months. This was the forth machine to be sold worldwide.

Youngman Launched the new BoSS X3X SP, the company's first self propelled scissor at the show. Peter Terrel the divisional sales manager said the company was expecting the first orders for the machine to be placed at the show and first deliveries of the machines from the Chinese factory to arrive in the next 14 weeks.

Two pieces of access equipment were among the designs contending for an innovation award at The EHS: Niftylift's Toughcage with SiOPS and the Teletower from Zarges.

Niftylift's Tough cage has been designed to withstand all the rigours and more of a construction environment and comes in two parts - the base and the cage for cheaper repair. SiOPS (sustainable involuntary operation prevention system) is an integral safett system designed to prevent crushing and trapping injuries.

Zarges Teletower was the eventual winner of EHS's innovation zone award - voted for by visitors to the show. It is a telescopic scaffold tower, which can be erected in three minutes and provides up to 4m working height. The Teletower is designed to be easily transported in a small van.

R2 Access Platforms the distributor for Manitou aerial work platforms, Custom Equipment's Hybrid scissors and Eazzilift's push around scissors was showing examples from all ranges. Last year R2 took a substantial order for the US manufactured Hybrid platforms from UK Hire company, Speedy Hire, the company now has over 200 Hybrid scissors and R2 director Russell Rowley is hopeful that the success of the machines will soon lead to another substantial order.

CTE UK was showing the new Traccess 170E tracked platform a 17 m working height machine driven by a 48 V electric motor powered by lithium ion batteries.

The Traccess 170E produces zero emissions; it offers a 7.5 m outreach and has a 200 kg basket capacity. The articulated boom comes in two stages: the two element articulated boom and the telescopic boom and jib. The outriggers allow the machine to be levelled on uneven ground and are hydraulically deployed with ground pressure sensors.

Jonanathan Wiseman sales manager at CTE UK said that three machines had been sold into the UK already: two to a rental company and one to an end user. The machines are already in production and he expects delivery in March.

Pop-Product's stand was packed with new equipment: most prominent were the Pop-Up Drive Pro 12 and the Pop-Up Drive 10 Eco.

New for the EHS, the Pop-Up DRIVE 12 Pro is first mast lift in the Pop-Up range manufactured in cooperation with Snorkel, this is also the first Pop-Up rated for outdoor use and the first that can lift two people. Pop-Up expects to launch additions to the DRIVE Pro series towards the end of 2011.

The production version of the Pop-Up DRIVE 10 Eco made its world debut at the EHS. The Pop-Up DRIVE 10 Eco provides a platform height of 3m and a safe working load of 140kg, but weighs only 495kg.

The company now offers five push-around lifts in the Pop-Up PUSH series and two self-propelled lifts in the Pop-Up DRIVE series. It has also re-branded its Eiger range of podium and tower scaffold as Pop-Up

Power Tower too was showing several new machines: two in the Nano series, a new design to supercede the orginal Power Tower and accessories for the Power Tower.

The Nano SP zero is a lower cost version on the self propelled vertical mast Nano designed to be as simple to use as a push around, Brian King of Power Towers said, that at 15% cheaper than the Nano it will take customers on their first step to self propelled low-level access.

The Nano SP Plus, has a two stage slide out basket , providing an extra 1 m in total for more flexibility. Load sensing technology both across the platform and specifically on the extension ensures safety.

The new Power Tower has a larger platform now 1.52m x 0.75m, but will still pass through a standard door. New accessories include special rails that will pass the operator through a suspended ceiling.

On the Thermoil stand Martin Davies said he had enjoyed a very busy show. Thermoil products are designed to extend battery life and Mr Davies was showing a new product the Norwegian Ganticharger. Instead of charging batteries in series, which can lead to overheating and battery damage, the Ganticharger charges and monitors each battery individually, stopping when the battery is fully charged. This uses less energy and reduces battery wear.

Avant was showing the a mast lift attachment for its 400, 500, 600 and 700 series mini-loaders. It has been developed in cooperation with the companies daughter company Leguan Lifts. The attachment makes it quick to mount and remove, it provides 5m of working height and is expected to appeal to maintenance workers.

The UK distributor of Italian made Easylift, Power Lift was showing its new range of machines from another Italian manufacturer Farone. The agreement was made just three weeks ago and Power Lift will be the exclusive distributor for Farone's vertical mast machines in the UK and Ireland. There are two new machines in the range the PK53 5m working height push around machine, which weighs just 100kg and the P505 5m self propelled model.

Euro Towers was celebrating 20 years in business at the EHS and was showing a new advanced guard rail system for its scaffold towers. Managing director and PASMA chairman Roger Verallo said the advanced guard rails were "tamper proof, they can't be removed while in use, which I think is unique - although I wouldn't swear to it." Other advanced guard rail systems were being shown by Youngman and Pop-Up.

Just two days in the country and having its first UK outing was the Iteco EasyUp 5, the company's first push-around scissor. Bob Hughes of CLM representing the Imer Group said that there has already been some good enquiries about the machine which has a 5.2 m working height, weighs 380 kg and can accommodate 200kg. The machine is designed to be easy to transport and will fit through a standard doorway.