Manlift targets international projects for power rentals growth

Manlift, the Dubai-based company that rents aerial platforms and power in the Middle East, is expanding its power rentals business by targeting new markets outside the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In just a few years the company has created a power fleet totalling 150 MW, comprising under 500 kVA gensets for smaller projects and 800/1250 kVA units for major power projects and international jobs.

John Ashcroft, Manlift Group managing director, told International Rental News (IRN) that a sizeable part of this fleet was now based outside its core markets of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar; "About 50% of our large units are now outside our existing Middle East areas, in Africa or other Middle East countries."

Mr Ashcroft said Manlift would continue to invest in its power fleet as markets in the region recovered. However, he said the best opportunities were unlikely to be in Qatar or the UAE because "there are simply too many generators".

He said Manlift saw greater potential for its power business elsewhere, including Saudi Arabia. "We will expand our fleet over the next 6 to 12 months, definitely", he said.

Last year the company completed its largest power rentals project, installing a 27 MW plant for the Gulf Cement Company (GCC) in Qatar. Most of the gensets were Cummins 1250kVA Powerbox units. The company's fleet also includes Ingersoll Rand branded units from Doosan Infracore.

Manlift's largest shareholder is Netherlands based access specialist Riwal, which has provided substantial financial and technical support since Manlift was created five and a half years ago. Although Manlift is run as an autonomous business, Mr Ashcroft said Riwal "continues to be an excellent partner - providing support in many ways".

For more on Manlift's businesses in the Middle East, including an update on its newly established access rental operation in India, see the July-August issue of IRN.