AFI invests heavily in electric

UK-based AFI has invested £2 million (US$3.3 million) in scissors, booms and truck mounts.

Being part of AFI’s £7.2 million ($12.2 million) overall investment in machines and delivery vehicles for 2013, it includes 90 Skyjack electric scissor lifts and 15 Genie bi-energy boom lifts, and 13 new truck mounted platforms for the Wilson Access fleet.

The Skyjack scissor lift investment comprises 50 SJ3219s, 30 SJ4632s and 10 SJ3226s, whilst the Genie booms are all Z4525s.

AFI director Steve Williams said the new scissor and boom lifts will meet an increasing demand for these types of machine.“We are seeing that the market is moving further towards electric machines for use in internal maintenance and repair work, particularly in factories and for facilities management operations,” he said.

The machines have been distributed among AFI’s UK network of 19 depots, joining a fleet of over 5500 machines.

The 13 truck mounted platforms represent a £1.75 million investment in the fleet of Wilson Access, which AFI acquired earlier this year. The Multitel, CTE, GSR and Wumang platforms can reach heights of between 20 m and 45 m. The first truck mounts will be delivered during January 2014.