Aichi outlines global plans

Aichi Corp said it wants to be the world number one manufacturer of aerial platforms with a market share approaching 30%. The company's chief executive officer. Shinji Takeuchi, outlined the ambition as the company launched the first of its new range of ‘global' self-propelled booms and scissor lifts at the Rental Show in Las Vegas. Mr Takeuchi, who attended the Rental Show with other senior managers at the company, told Access International, "Our target is global number one". He said the aim was to increase the company's market share by 2-3% every year from its current estimated 10% share.

The company currently manufactures all of its machines in Japan (and also has a small facility in China), but has plans to manufacture in Europe or North America. Mr Takeuchi said Aichi was currently undertaking a feasibility study into possible manufacturing locations, but said earlier reports that it was planning to manufacture at a Toyota facility in the US were unfounded.

The new range of ‘global products' are central to the company's growth strategy. The first of these were shown at an open day in early February at Aichi's European headquarters in Oosterhout, the Netherlands. These comprise 12 and 14 m telescopic booms that use a three section boom, making them very compact, and 6 m and 7.8 m platform height electric scissors that use an AC electrical drive that increases duty cycles and reduces maintenance requirements.

Aichi will not comment on the other new products in the pipeline, but Access International understands that next on the list will be 12, 16 and 18 m articulated models, 30 and 32 m articulated machines, and rough terrain scissors.