Dealer adds big basket options for Aichi booms

Aichi's Netherlands dealer Aichi Sales Office (ASO) has come up with a clever way of adapting Aichi's telescopic aerial platforms: removing the flying jib and using the extra carrying capacity to fit a number of attachments, including a 5.5 m wide, 250 kg capacity cage.

Adding new or heavier attachments to an existing product normally requires extensive re-engineering as the entire structure is redesigned for the extra loadings. By removing the 180 kg fly jib, the company has found a simple way of offering a range of alternative attachments, including the 5.5 m cage and a 4.0 m wide basket with 325 kg capacity. The company is now investingating other possible attachments.

Rene Den Ouden, ASO general director, speaking to AI at Platformsers' Days in Germany, said the new attachments - which are CE marked - are the result of requests from customers for wider or higher capacity cages. ASO will be the exclusive sales outlet for the specially modified machines.

The attachments, which can only be supplied with all Aichi's wheeled or crawler telescopic booms designed with a jib, do not fundamentally change the way the machine is used: the cage still rotates by 180 degrees, the same levelling system is used and the basket uses the same rotating motor.

The removal of the jib not only frees up capacity for heavier or larger attachments, but it also reduces the reach of the machine and makes it more stable.

"It's somethjing special", said Mr den Ouden, "It's something that can do a little but more; another way of using the machine as it is."