Canter proves popular truck mount for Multitel's 27 m boom

Access Industries, the UK distributor for Multitel Pagliero has found the 7.5 t Mitsubishi Fuso Canter a popular vehicle on which to mount the 27 m working height articulated boom.

Access Industries, has sold 10 Canter mounted 27 m articulated booms in the last year, to a variety of customers including hire firms, commercial cleaning companies, builders and roofers.

All range-topping 7C18 models, the Canters were supplied by Hatfield based Mercedes-Benz dealer S&B Commercials - the German manufacturer's dealer network is also responsible for sales and support of the Japanese light truck range.

The trucks are fitted with MX 270 equipment by Multitel: the booms are produced from extruded aluminium alloy sections, which are lighter than conventional steel but configured and manufactured to maintain strength and stability. Multitel says that its products are actually more rigid and offer greater safety margins than those of its rivals.

Access Industries' managing director Melvyn Else said, "The fact that we can get a 27 m platform on a 7.5 tonner is remarkable in itself, and only possible because of the design of the Multitel equipment."

Access Industries specifies Canters with 4.2-metre wheelbases (second longest of the four lengths available), which offer a combined body and payload allowance of 4,655kg. However, Multitel's equipment can be mounted on most other 7.5 t chassis, for Access Industries, the vehicle's small 'footprint' is its biggest attraction.

"Where the Canter really scores is in the narrow, 2.1-metre width of its cab and body," said Mr Else. "When folded away our outriggers do not increase the overall width of the unit, which means that it's relatively easy to manoeuvre in tight locations. And when the outriggers are deployed the vehicle doesn't take up any more road space on site than is absolutely necessary.

"A Canter chassis fitted with our 27-metre platform offers a transit width that many of our competitors can only achieve with a 20-metre platform on a 3.5-tonner. Whereas if we based our access equipment on another type of 7.5-tonne vehicle, with a wider cab, the whole unit would be wider and thus take up more space."

At 3 m, the Multitel MX 270 has a low transit height which translates into a low centre of gravity. "That helps to make the vehicle on which it is mounted easy to drive," Mr Else said. "The Canter's 180hp engine offers plenty of performance while the vehicle is reliable and competitively priced too."

S&B Commercials has also supplied Access Equipment with two of 18 t Mercedes Axor in recent months, which have been fitted with 35 m platforms.