Powered Access Report 2021

A supplement of:

D E R E W O P S S E C C A REPORT PLUS

IGH SNORKLEDL ’SRISTEASLHLEST BOOM WOR USY 2020 L E A DS A B

S S ACCEASN JCB GAIN D M A KES L AR BR OR POPU NEW SECT N I K R A I TS M

S P U E I N E G E M A G E H T

GENIE

LANS P D N A S R EALE D , LINE S L D E A D E O H M T R W O NE SUPP R E AS M H O D T S N U A C R B R FO ES AWP G X N E E R L E L T A E H HOW TH ED TO MARKET C RESPOND

LENDING A HAND AND DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING FOR YOU

JOHNSON ARABIA is a Mobile Crane and Aerial Work Platforms (AWP) rental provider in the Middle East which offers cost-efficient and versatile lift engineering solutions to the petrochemical, civil engineering, construction, industrial, utilities, aviation, marine and other industries and clients.

1325+ Projects

250+ Cranes

700+ AWP’s

150+ Skilled Workforce

Aerial Work Platform Cranes Spider Cranes Training Center

50+ Clients

20+ Years

Info@Johnsonarabia.com

www.Johnsonarabia.com

Dubai, UAE Dubai Industrial City, Saih Shuaib-3 P.O. Box 71240 Tel: +971 4 584 7551 Tel: 800-LIFTING : 052-LIFTING

Abu Dhabi, UAE Musaffah Industrial Area P.O. Box 34983 Tel: +971 2 550 4988 Tel: 800-LIFTING : 052-LIFTING

Sohar, Oman Falaj Al Qabali P.O. Box 300 Postal Code 322 Tel: +968 2 675 3112 : +971 52-LIFTING

1 A supplement of:

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 MANAGING PARTNER VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 EDITORIAL EDITOR ANIRBAN BAGCHI anirban.bagchi@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5715 SUB EDITOR AELRED DOYLE aelred.doyle@cpitrademedia.com ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER BRIAN FERNANDES brian.fernandes@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5479 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER VIPIN V. VIJAY vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DISTRIBUTION MANAGER PHINSON MATHEW GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 WEB DEVELOPMENT ABDUL BAEIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015)

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NORMS OF THE NEW NORMAL Despite the market conditions brought on by Covid-19, the access sector has still seen more activity than most other equipment sectors because of the usages the machines can be put to.

While there was a general go-slow policy on new construction most of last year, the maintenance sector still needed to be on its game, making use of access equipment, as did the various sterilisation drives in public places and building premises.

As our discussions with the major players in the access sector show, most are looking at 2021 quite optimistically, with manufacturers bringing in new models and rental fleets looking to expand during the year. The other trend that has emerged – and one the access sector shares with all other equipment classes – is that of more extensive use of technology aids in machine management, maintenance and training.

The manufacturers and rental companies we talk to in this report tell us just how they are tackling these two emergent aspects of the industry’s new normal.

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The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing.

Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC. CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.

Anirban Bagchi Editor, CMME

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2

INTERVIEW P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

RISING TO THE OCCASION

JLG HAS MANAGED TO STAY ON AN UPSWING IN THE MIDDLE EAST BY DEALING WITH THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE COVID-19 SITUATION THROUGH STRICT PROTOCOLS AND LIBERAL USE OF TECHNOLOGY, WHILE INTRODUCING NEW MODELS AND TECH SOLUTIONS How has Covid-19 impacted JLG, especially in the Middle East? Please describe some of the important measures JLG has taken to deal with the situation.

JLG’s core focus during the pandemic has been on our “People First” culture and making sure all team members were supported throughout this very challenging period. We quickly focussed on moving customer and distributor training online with product focus weeks continued for our partners across the region.

We managed to be flexible and deliver service support online. Using video technology in real time, our customer care team did an amazing job of keeping our customers’ machines running despite the travelling challenges.

Our Covid-19 protocols were strictly enforced, and this gave our

customers confidence that JLG was keeping its staff safe as well as the staff of customers they are interacting with.

As a team here in the UAE, we also reached out to the community and supported a charity very close to us in Senses Dubai, where our team pulled together and managed to deliver over 15,000 critical items to the charity.

Please describe some of new models that JLG has introduced in the Middle East in 2020.

Despite the pandemic JLG has continued to deliver new products to the market. Our HC3 boom range now includes 16-28m heights, which caters for the core rental fleets across the region. The HC3 booms provide users three capacity levels – 300, 340 and 454kg - allowing for three people in the basket as well as carrying more material to get the job done faster.

3 HC3 booms have an unrestricted envelope of up to 300kg, which is unique to the market.

The Driveable Stock Picker (DSP M) targets the material handling market where we are seeing incredible growth especially within distribution centres and ecommerce market segments. We have products on the ground and are running demonstrations that have already seen conversion.

Our Electric Construction (EC) booms have been manufactured so that the user gets the same performance of a diesel boom but powered by Lithium batteries. These machines are revolutionary and are an important product line as we see demand come for a greener and eco-friendly solution to getting the job done.

Which is the largest selling JLG MEWP in the Middle East at the moment and why?

We have seen continued demand this year of our R series scissors, especially the 4045R, which gives the user a compact 14m working height scissor driven by AGM batteries. The return for our customers on our scissors range is very strong and will continue as we roll out more models within our R range. These machines come with a variable tilt indicator in the basket showing the operator how high they can go based on floor gradient. This is a unique feature that improves job-site efficiency.

We’ve also seen strong demand for our Ultra booms, especially for machines that can reach over 48m.

We expect robust demand in 2021 for our largest booms.

Please give a short description of the new Davinci scissor lift due to be launched early this year.

The Davinci scissor lift is truly revolutionary. The machine is fully electric with zero hydraulic components, which means zero leaks for the end user. This machine presents the future in the present

day and we are very proud to be bringing it to market in 2021. We will be launching the AE1932 (19ft) model first and then the range will increase from there. Within the Middle East we have already received requirements for the product where maintaining a clean environment is critical. Examples of such industries are data centres, pharmaceutical manufactures and food distribution centres.

How have JLG’s low-level access products performed over the last 18 months in the Middle East?

Our low-level access segment has continued to see very encouraging growth, especially in the UAE. Over the last 18 months we have brought the two-man Power Tower Duo to market and we have seen this product and method being adopted across more and more job-sites. Also encouraging is to see rental companies focus on this product range - and with one of the strongest returns on investment of any rental equipment, you can see why. Last year also saw us launch the products into Saudi Arabia where we expect demand to grow very quickly, especially in Riyadh and Jeddah regions.

Please describe some of the important technology innovations JLG has in the Middle East market.

We have our VR simulator, BIM models, Showpad for our distributors, Clearsky telematics system and more.

All of these have continued to grow and with the pandemic we have put more emphasis on driving this to market, especially with the launch of Clearsky with over 12 clients across the MEA region and our BIM models seeing high numbers of downloads.

A new technology we launched in 2020 was the JLG Augmented Reality (AR) app, which uses nextgeneration augmented reality visualisation to enable faster and more accurate project planning and onsite equipment management.

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BRAND FOCUS P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

JCB GAINS ACCESS

THE WELL-KNOWN EQUIPMENT BRAND STEPPED INTO THE POWERED ACCESS ARENA A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAS QUICKLY BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ITS MARK WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, FEATURES AND QUALITY OF ITS MACHINES

G

lobal construction equipment giant JCB entered the powered access arena in 2017, it was not a decision without a solid base and a bit of experience already behind it. The company was already well-known for its telehandlers, having pioneered the concept in 1977 and sold more than 200,000 units to date. Since powered access is also one of the uses the telehandler is put to, JCB already had some experience of the access sector.

Since that first foray, JCB has expanded its offerings and is a major contender in the scissor lifts segment, say Jonathan Granham, sales director, JCB Access, and Ahmed Shouman, GM, JCB Sales, Middle East.

“Today we offer a full range of nine electric scissor lifts with platform heights from 15-45ft. JCB has always been very serious about being a ‘Full line’ supplier to the industry and that remains our intent today. We are continuing to develop new models and will be launching these in the very near future,” says Granham.

5 “While we haven’t launched new models in the last 12 months we are delighted to report good progress in establishing the range that we have.

We know that it takes time to enter such a strong marketplace.”

Establishing the range has a lot to do with how customers perceive the products and here JCB has come up trumps, says Shouman, adding: “Our customers are very excited to see our new products and lots of demos are being completed throughout the GCC within different business sectors, including construction, oil & gas, rental companies, maintenance and fit-out businesses and others. We have received lots of positive feedback and have already retailed units in Kuwait, Saudi, Oman, Qatar and the UAE.” A defining feature of JCB scissor lifts is lithium batteries, and the brand was among the first to introduce this power source in the MEWP market.

“Lithium provides several benefits to customers, the first being the batteries are far more sophisticated and last up to three times the life of traditional batteries. The batteries enjoy ‘spot’ or ‘opportunity’ charging and work up to twice as long on a

single charge,” Granham says.

“The S1930E is our most popular model but we are seeing very good interest for our two largest models – the S4046E with a 40ft platform and our flagship S4550E with a 45ft platform height.”

The product are, of course, backed by one of the strongest dealer network in the regional market, Granham adds.

“JCB has a long-standing, competent and highly respected network of dealers throughout the middle East. All these dealers have jumped at the chance to sell our range of access equipment and have invested in training for their teams to be able to support the products and our customers in the field. And we also have great relationships with rental companies, built up over years of supplying other JCB products.

“The Middle East remains a critically important market for JCB and our range of access machines.

We have developed a reputation in the region and customers are delighted with our back-up. As we continue to develop and launch new models, we look forward to growing our volumes and supplying more customers.”

LITHIUM-ION POWER

EASY CHARGING AND LONGER OPERATION JCB notched up an industry

real benefits to our customers

first around two years ago

around the world, particularly

when it launched a range of

in significantly reducing

electric scissor lifts powered by

total cost of ownership.”

lithium-ion batteries. The new

“The S1930E is our most popular model but we are seeing very good interest for our two largest models – the S4046E with a 40ft platform and our flagship S4550E with a 45ft platform height”

With lithium-ion batteries

models in JCB’s lithium-powered

recharging times are reduced by

scissor lift range offer working

up to 50%, improving utilisation

heights of 6.6m to 10.1m.

on site, he says. Plus, unlike

According to JCB, lithium-

lead acid batteries, lithium-

ion batteries offer up to

ion batteries can be left in a

40% longer operation and a

low state of charge without

50% cut in recharging times.

damaging the cells. JCB’s

Jonathan Granham explains:

lithium-ion powered machines

“We are delighted to be offering

come with a smartphone app

innovative new solutions to

with wireless connectivity for

the powered access industry

real-time condition checks of

so early into JCB’s entry

the batteries, which have up to

into the sector. Lithium-ion

2,000 recharge cycles, four times

powered scissor lifts offer

as many as lead acid batteries.

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COVER STORY P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

Among Genie’s latest models in the Middle East are the new J Series boom lifts, which offer high working heights and various platform capacities.

“With reaches of 80ft and 60ft, the J Series is the complimentary product to our existing boom lifts. Whereas our XC range is our prime product where customers get, for example, 450kg basket load capacity, the J Series is a smaller version where you can still get 300kg in the basket with a more compact design”

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GENIE UPS THE GAME

WITH PLANS, PROGRAMMES AND NEW DEALERS IN PLACE TO ENSURE BUSINESS CONTINUITY FOR CUSTOMERS ALONG WITH NEW MODELS THAT CATER TO THE DEMANDS OF THE MARKET, GENIE HAS TAKEN ON THE PRESENT CHALLENGES IN THE REGIONAL POWERED ACCESS SECTOR HEAD ON

I

f you’re a part of the powered access sector, Genie and its dealers have your back, as they did even in the midst of the Covid-19 emergency.

The Terex AWP brand and its local partners have put in a place a host of measures to ensure your manned elevated work platforms (MEWP) keep working and your project chugs along.

At Genie, Sharbel Kordahi, managing director of Terex Equipment Middle East and sales director for Genie Aerial Work Platforms in the Middle East, South of Africa and Russia, says: “Ensuring business continuity for our customers and partners has been our number one priority in recent times.

Covid-19 has affected all businesses and Genie is no different. For the majority of our customers, such as rental companies, the first thing was to put the brakes on Capex, which, of course, affected us. The third quarter results of 2020 for Terex show how much we are affected, but the silver

lining is that we are coming out of it and the worst is behind us, as the third quarter results, while weak on the whole, were better than the second quarter. So we are recovering.

“We have taken several measures internally, such as restructuring our workforce and consolidating manufacturing, and these are showing their benefits. What we have never done is compromise on the quality of our products. We continue to be committed to leading the industry in quality. We are also engaged in purposeful innovation, driven by what brings value to our customers and not simply for the sake of innovation.”

Genie has also continued on the roadmap it has for products, Kordahi emphasises, and has recently launched two important new product lines. The first is the J Series, which has just gone into production.

“With reaches of 80ft and 60ft, the J Series is the complimentary product to our existing boom lifts. Whereas

8

COVER STORY P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

our XC range is our prime products where customers get, for example, 450kg basket load capacity, the J Series is a smaller version where you can still get 300kg in the basket with a more compact design, still with a jib. And you can also get the return on your investment back faster. The J Series is in production and we plan

to be launch it in this very quarter.”

Genie has also announced its E-Drive system, an optimised AC electric drive system, available across its entire line of GS slab scissor lifts.

The new E-Drive gives the GS scissor lifts increased run time, reduced maintenance costs and industryleading performance, which add up

Genie has recently signed up Galadari Brothers as its UAE distributor in a move that signals its serious intentions for the local market.

NEW UAE DEALER

GENIE PARTNERS WITH GALADARI BROTHERS

Genie has appointed

create a synergy that will

aerial work platforms

UAE-based construction

be felt by customers in a

and will grow quickly in

equipment dealer Galadari

market like the UAE, which

the post-Covid-19 era.

Brothers as its distributor

deserves no less than the

for the entire UAE market,

best product offerings

for us to have a strong

citing strong synergies the

and services,” he says.

partner in the market who

partnership creates between

Sharbel Kordahi,

“Hence, it is very important

can sell not just the product

the two companies, with

managing director, Terex

but also provide financial

both being well-respected

Aerial Work Platforms for

support to customers

names in their respective

the Middle East, Southern

and have a presence

fields globally and locally.

Africa, Russia and CIS,

nationwide,” he adds.

Mohamed Yahya Kazi

said the deal will cover

Also present at the

Meeran, director and Group

distribution of all Genie

signing of the agreement in

CEO of Galadari Brothers,

product lines. “Galadari

Dubai were Suhail Galadari

feels Galadari Heavy

Brothers is a flagship name in

and Mohammed Galadari,

Equipment Division and

the UAE. They have a strong

directors, Galadari Brothers;

Genie Industries share not

sales team, aftermarket

Samer Khalid, CEO of the

just strength and reputation

support and know the

Heavy Equipment Division

in the marketplace —

market as they are into the

at Galadari Brothers;

they also have the same

business for over 50 years.

Amer Azmi, divisional

values that serve as the

So, it is our privilege to be

sales manager of Trucks

engines that drive their

associated with this group.”

and Heavy Equipment at

respective successes.

Kordahi believes the UAE

Galadari Brothers; and Johan

“This partnership will

will continue to remain

Gericke, territory sales

enable both companies to

a very strong market for

manager at Terex AWP.

to reduced total cost of ownership.

Genie adds that the “quiet and emission-free AC electric E-Drive motors provide contractors with a green solution to meet the demands of customers and job-site regulations”.

E-drive equipped GS scissor lifts have high-gauge steel guards and increased ground clearance for demanding job-sites and the new E-Drive motors are brushless and fully sealed against moisture and water for maintenance-free longevity.

According to Genie, the new GS E-drive scissor lifts have 70% fewer hydraulic hoses and fittings, reducing the potential for hydraulic leaks and reducing downtime for service.

Michael Flanagan, Genie product manager, says: “Owners also will find they spend less on batteries over the life of the scissor lift due to longer runtime per charge and fewer lifetime charge cycles.”

According to Genie, based on industry-standard HIRD cycle testing, E-Drive scissor lifts have shown a 30% increase in runtime per charge, with up to a 20% reduction in lifetime battery costs. The Genie E-drive scissor lifts offer 25% gradeability and have two times the tyre tread depth when compared to previous designs. They also have the torque and traction for climbing dovetail ramps, even if one wheel slips, says a statement from the manufacturer.

Meanwhile, in the Middle East, Genie has also been concentrating on delivering the best possible customer service and keeping its customers and all stakeholders safe.

“We operated with a checklist for safety during the height of the Covid-19 crisis. The checklist also had a questionnaire for customers where they needed to tell us about the number of cases, if any, at the job-sites and projects where we were attending to them. There were other questions on the list, such as the precautions and protocols already in place on the sites, can they isolate the machine we are supposed to attend to so that our team has minimal contact with

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others, and certain other points on an extensive checklist,” Kordahi reveals.

“We have also been very successful with our online platforms for training our customers to also do a lot of basic maintenance with phone guidance or through instruction on video conferencing, such as with Zoom or Teams calls. Our customers’

Genie’s latest E-drive electric scissors offer reduced cost of ownership in a quiet and emission-free machine ideal for indoor use.

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technicians are on their machines and we instruct them live on the call from our offices with the troubleshooting.”

Moreover, the latest Genie machines also have advanced onboard diagnostics and machine monitoring systems, where fault codes on the machines can be used to identify what is going on

and solve problems, Kordahi adds.

“At Bauma 2019, we launched our state-of-the-art telematics system and our customers loved it. It’s not just a geofencing or track-and-trace tool; it’s a lot more, enabling to see what the machine is doing, how the operator is operating it, and especially in the Tier V markets its about full diagnostics on the engines, which will gradually be available here as we synchronise more with the other global regions.

“We have also used online tools for training as much as we can, delivering a virtual classroom experience to our customers and dealers, and imparting training to their people on topics like basic hydraulic and electronics. We also have online tests at the end of each course, and if the technician passes, he is certified ready to go to the next level.”

With the new models, customer support, technological innovations and future plans, it seems Genie is aiming for the next level as well.

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HARD HITTER P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

Snorkel’s emphasis was on large deck scissor lifts at Conexpo early last year, with several new models that go into production in Q1 this year.

“In terms of product development, we saw a lot of momentum last year following the preview of the world’s largest telescopic boom lift, the 2100SJ, as well as many other new product unveilings”

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SNORKEL RISES HIGH

THE POWERED ACCESS BRAND SAW A FLURRY OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IN 2020, WITH NEW SCISSORS AND BOOM LIFTS USING BOTH CONVENTIONAL AND ECO-FRIENDLY POWER SOURCES ENTERING PRODUCTION THIS YEAR, INCLUDING THE WORLD’S TALLEST BOOM

I

t’s not often that a world record is made in any field, which makes them all the more special. Last year was indeed a special one for Snorkel, as the Ahern Group company claimed the world record for the highest boom lift at the triennial Conexpo exhibition held in March, 2020, in Las Vegas, USA. And it was fortuitous indeed that Snorkel was able to participate in the event, or that the event was held at all. With the threat of Covid-19 a very real and present danger on the horizon at that time, some key manufacturers gave the exhibition a miss while the event itself was held just in the nick of time before the world at large went into lockdowns, with the pandemic then posing tough challenges in every sphere of life globally.

Snorkel, however, rose to the challenge in all its territories globally, continuing its product development and customer engagement, providing the worldwide powered access sector some key innovative products throughout the year.

“Like most manufacturers, we have sustained a reduction in demand globally during 2020.

Despite this, we have been able to maintain all of our facilities, although we have scaled operations to align with the demand levels, and we continue to monitor and adjust accordingly,” Matthew Elvin, CEO, Snorkel, tells CMME. “In terms of product development, we saw a lot of momentum last year following the preview of the world’s largest telescopic boom lift, the 2100SJ, as well as many other new product unveilings at Conexpo.

Although the current situation has reduced demand in the short term, we have maintained our product development activity throughout this period, and I am pleased to report that progress has been more or less uninterrupted, with the exception of some associated vendor delays as a result of lockdown mandates where they were located.”

For Snorkel 2020 has been a year of active expansion in its product line. The most significant of the new products is the Snorkel 2100SJ, one of the world’s largest

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HARD HITTER P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

self-propelled telescopic boom lifts, which was previewed at Conexpo 2020. Dubbed a “mega boom”, the new 2100SJ reaches a maximum working height of 66m, provides an industry-leading outreach up to 30.4m, and an unrestricted platform capacity of 300kg.

Also at Conexpo, Snorkel unveiled

its entry into the large deck construction scissor lift segment, with the introduction of two brand new families. The competitively specified RT family of three large deck, rough terrain construction grade scissor lifts includes the S9033RT, S9043RT and the S9053RT, while the new RT-HC family includes

The highlight of 2020 for Snorkel was the unveiling of the 2100SJ boom lift, the world’s highest, which can rise to a height equal to a 22-floor building.

SUPER TALL

SNORKEL SHOWS OFF 2100SJ BOOM LIFT Snorkel’s new 2100SJ

The Snorkel 2100SJ is

operated remotely, either

“mega boom” offers a

also highly manoeuvrable,

tethered or wireless.”

working height of 66m,

with a 2.5m inside turning

Weighing 36,287kg

reaching the equivalent

radius, claimed to be best-

and rated for outdoor

height of a 22-storey

in-class, and five steering

use up to 12.5m/s, it

building, and is ideal for

modes, including lateral

is equipped with an

high-rise construction

steer, which enables the

anemometer to measure

and maintenance tasks.

lift to drive side-to-side

wind speeds. The Snorkel

along a building with the

2100SJ has redundant,

tallest boom lift model,

wheels in a 90° position.

isolated, emergency

CEO Matthew Elvin says

“Compliant with all

Describing the world’s

power supplies to

it has patent pending

global standards, the

provide at least three

static axle transformation,

Snorkel 2100SJ has

alternative options to

which uses wheel motors

transport dimensions

rescue an operator

to ‘drive’ the axles into

of 2.5m wide and 14.9m

up to the maximum

their extended position,

length, and for safer

platform height. The

minimises the risk of tyre

loading, is equipped

model will enter

scrub, extending tyre life

with a removable RF-

production in 2021,

and providing a smoother

controlled lower control

and Snorkel is currently

experience for the operator.

panel designed to be

accepting pre-orders.

four high specification, industryleading construction grade models with exceptional lift capacities and heights. All seven models are expected to enter full production during 2021.

“The new ‘RT-HC’ ultra-highcapacity construction scissor lift family really sets a new standard in

13 the industry. Designed to lift more materials to the working area, the new family includes four models ranging from the S9031RT-HC with a maximum working height of 11.4m and lifting capacity of 1.58t, to the S9070RT-HC with a maximum working height of 23.3m and a lifting capacity of 907kg,” says Elvin.

“With dual powered extension decks and four hydraulic stabilisers with automatic levelling as standard, the new family delivers a high specification lift to handle the heaviest duty applications. Offering a maximum platform size of 8.23m x 2.28m when fully extended, the new lifts provide a vast working area and help to reduce the number of times the operator needs to lower and elevate the lift.”

He adds that the smaller S9031RTHC and S9043RT-HC models can both be driven at full height, and the larger S9056RT-HC and S9070RTHC can be driven at height up to 13.1m. With 50% gradeability, all four lifts are powered by a Kubota diesel engine and have four-wheel drive capabilities with large 0.91m high grip foam-filled tyres for handling rough terrain.

“Alongside the new ultra-highcapacity construction scissor lift family is Snorkel’s new line of three large deck ‘RT’ construction scissor lifts. With working heights ranging from 11.8-7.9m, the midsize S9043RT with a maximum working height of 15.1m and a lift capacity of 680kg was again shown at Conexpo. With weights ranging from 6.8-11.5t, the high-capacity ‘RT’ Snorkel scissor lift family has been designed to provide a long-working life. The dual-shear scissor stack has been constructed from high strength steel for durability and lighter overall weight,” Elvin says.

Elvin adds that in 2020, Snorkel also introduced an industry-first telehandler - the new lithiumbattery powered Snorkel SR626E - which delivers a maximum lifting capacity of 2.6t, and a maximum lift

height of up to 5.79m, while being completely zero-emission. Powered by 80V 300Ah lithium-ion batteries, it can perform continuously between charges for up to six hours depending on jobsite conditions.

The on-board charger provides a full charge overnight, while off-board chargers options are available for fast-charging capabilities, up to 2.5 hours for a complete charge.

“While all of these new products are available to customers in the Middle East, the most popular Snorkel product line in the region happen to be our electric scissor lifts. However, when it comes to one specific model, the Snorkel A38E electric articulated boom lift remains one of our most popular products in the Middle East region.

“Chosen by many of the leading rental companies in the region, the A38E delivers the best height-toweight ratio in its class, making it suitable for a wide range of both interior and exterior applications,” Elvin informs.

“Reaching a maximum working height of 13.5m, the A38E can lift up to 215kg yet weighs only 3.8t.

Measuring just 1.5m wide, and with a stowed height of 2.0m, its compact dimensions and nonmarking, high grip tyres make it suitable for confined indoor spaces.

Fitted with Snorkel Guard secondary guarding as standard, the Snorkel A38E benefits from a articulating/ telescopic boom configuration for maximum maneuverability and versatility, as well as hydraulic platform rotation.

“Direct DC electric drive delivers high efficiency and in a controlled test environment, was shown to be capable of travelling up to 16km on a single charge,” Elvin says.

With these and several other new models introduced in 2020, which are in production this year with more to come, the Snorkel CEO feel 2021 will be a one to watch for Snorkel, both globally and in the Middle East region.

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RENTAL P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

RESPONDING TO THE TIMES

WHILE COVID-19 MAY HAVE TEMPORARILY SLOWED THE ACCESS EQUIPMENT RENTAL MARKET, THE MAJOR PLAYERS HAVE SEEN A SHIFT IN MENTALITY TOWARDS A POSITIVE RENTAL BIAS AND ARE GEARING UP FOR THE FUTURE ACCORDINGLY

P

owered access equipment is mainly a rental-based business globally and the Middle East is no longer an exception.

Around the world, the end users of access equipment are rarely the owners of the machines they use, instead preferring to rent the units they need from specialist rental companies.

While this practice is common in advanced Western markets, the Middle East has also seen a gradual shift from end-user ownership to renting. And Covid-19 is only speeding up this trend. The regional rental sector expects that although the strains of the pandemic are showing on its balance sheets, the future can be rosier with many customers realising the potential of rental

as a cost-effective and hassle-free way of obtaining equipment for their jobs.

Martin Kirby, MD of regional rental heavyweight Johnson Arabia, tells CMME: “I think the region is very much going to move forward into a rental bias in its business model, moving away from owning equipment or perhaps holding a lot less of the equipment than they used to. Rental rates of course are under extreme pressure, but we do see future opportunities in the region due to a new mindset caused by Covid-19. At Johnson Arabia, we’re lucky to be in a position to take advantage of this, as an over two-decade-old company that works on guiding principles of very high health and safety standards. And despite the current volatility, we’re still looking for opportunities everywhere.”

In 2020, Johnson Arabia concentrated on extensive refurbishment of its access equipment, but the company has plans for expansion this year. “We have recently sent request for quotations to the major AWP manufacturers for a projected purchase that will take our fleet size to near 1,000 machines. These machines should start to reach our locations in Q2 2021,” Kirby reveals.

Assessing the year 2020, he says there has “obviously been a negative impact across all sectors but mainly in events”. However, Johnson Arabi has welcomed some events work towards the end of 2020, and has a more positive outlook for Q1-2 2021 by way of tenders for forthcoming events.

“Studies have shown that the oil & gas sector will see an increase in early 2021, so we have geared ourselves for a piece of that

15 Johnson Arabia (opposite page), Sudhir Rental (right) and Byrne Rental (below) have all seen opportunity in the pandemic and responsed in various ways.

action. Our existing fleet has had an overhaul and some machines have been made oil & gas-ready and will be situated in key areas, ready for delivery.”

This year will be a big one for Johnson Arabia, Kirby emphasises, with the introduction of a training division. “We will be driving our successful IPAF training facility by employing a new trainer and also investing in our people with opportunities for becoming IPAF trainers. We intend to open two more training facilities across the GCC in 2021.”

Over at Byrne Rental, another rental heavyweight in the region, steps have been taken to deal with the Covid-19 situation with measures to combat the pandemic.

Earlier, a Byrne statement said that “in a bid to strengthen the fight against Covid-19, Byrne Equipment Rental in UAE and KSA went above and beyond to support the construction of a temporary field hospital across the region, completing set-ups in just

25 days” in KSA along with its sister company Spacemaker in the UAE. “This was a tremendous achievement which wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated staff who worked on these projects. We are proud to have such employees who have continued to work hard throughout this difficult, unprecedented time,” the statement adds.

Byrne Rental is also concentrating on operational safety for its access equipment users through training. To promote safe and efficient use of its mast climbing work platforms, Byrne carried out what it calls the first training to be held in the Middle East by an IPAF approved instructor for hoists and MCWP. Simon Hickson, regional manager, Byrne, says: “The combined training programme covered both theory and practical sessions, with social distancing in place, which took place at Byrne head office in Dubai Industrial City. Following on

from our MCWP training is also our IPAF approved construction hoist training.”

Meanwhile, at another regional, heavyweight, Sudhir Rental, regional manager Graeme Horribine says despite Covid-19, the company is looking at the future with great optimism.

“We have expanded our AWP fleet since the beginning of 2019 to strengthen our position as a leading provider of booms and scissor lifts in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. We have brought in a cross section of machines from 19-feet electric scissors to 50m booms. Sudhir Rentals has a total fleet size of over 850 machines, which includes access equipment and other machines. We also offer IPAF training to all users of AWPs including the IPAF’s 1b, 3a, 3b, PAV, Harness and ‘MEWPs for Managers’ courses. An Indiaheadquartered company, we operate here in the UAE and Saudi and have also expanded into the European market now.”

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LAST WORD P OWERED ACCESS REP ORT 2021

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