EXECUTIVE REPORT
At Saltex, Smart Platform Rental revealed its exclusive combination of a tracked platform and dedicated Citroën transporter.
Smart combination
At IOG Saltex, Nick Johnson tracked down Smart Platform Rental, which was promoting its latest innovation in the self-drive powered access platform hire market.
Following its creation in 2002, Smart Platform Rental Ltd has become a prominent player in the UK powered access platform hire market. It has successfully developed the niche for self-drive vehicle mounted access platforms with significant numbers of Nissan Cabstar 3.5 tonne GVW vehicles equipped with CTE platforms. Now it has added other complementary Land Rover and van mounted platforms, together with a clever combination of spider-style tracked platform in a package with its own dedicated transporter.
The most popular CTE platforms in the Smart fleet are the models Z17 and Z19, offering maximum working heights of 17.2m and 19m respectively. Other platforms on the convenient 3.5 tonne vehicles (which can be driven with a standard driving licence and do not require a tachograph) have maximum working heights from 10.8m to 20m.
Smart does run a few larger platforms on 7.5 tonne chassis, namely 25.6m Iveco/CTE Z26s and 26.4m MAN/Ruthmann T265s, which can be supplied with a qualified operator. But approximately 95% of business is self-drive, and 90% of hires involve customers collecting platforms from the company’s two depots.
Welcoming reception areas
Due to the high proportion of customer visits to collect and return vehicles, Smart has established well-located premises and comfortable reception areas, modelled on car and truck hire practice. Located close to major population centres with easy motorway access, the London Orbital Depot is at Hemel Hempstead and the Midlands Expressway Depot is at Marston, near Sutton Coldfield.
To offer alternative types of powered access platforms, Smart recently invested in several Ascendant 12.5VM van mounted platforms and the first of the new Land Rover 110-based Socage A314 platforms from Cumberland Industries UK. Designated the V-12 by Smart, the former is mounted on a 3.5 tonne GVW Ford Transit T350 van, providing a maximum working height of 12.5m and 7.7m maximum outreach, with a 230kg basket capacity.
The rough terrain Land Rover-based A314 is classified as the RT-13 by Smart. This 4WD platform has a basket capacity of 225kg, weighs 2.9 tonnes and provides a maximum working height of 13.5m with 6.2m maximum outreach. Whilst the RT-13 can reach places beyond the travel capability of Smart’s other 4x2 vehicle mounted platforms, the hire company has realised the potential of also being able to offer a much narrower machine. Spider style platforms are growing rapidly in popularity and Smart can now supply one as part of a complete self-drive package with its own exclusive 3.5 tonne GVW transporter.
Smart chose Saltex to publicly launch its narrow tracked NT-14. This is a Hinowa 14.72 IIIS platform that can be carried on a Citroën Relay- based transporter with a KFS low-bed body specially developed for the hirer. The rubber tracked platform weighs 1400kg, allowing a payload margin of 165kg within the 3.5 tonne GVW threshold when the transporter carries a driver, spreader plates and a full fuel tank.
A big feature of the latest IIIS series Hinowa is its automatic self-levelling, whereby all four hydraulic stabilisers can be quickly and safely deployed using only one control lever. With the stabilisers and booms stowed, the 14.72IIIS is only 2.07m high and 840mm wide (with the basket removed), enabling it to negotiate narrow doorways and passages by means of a wander lead remote control. It has two travel speeds, up to 1.4 or up to 2.8km/h.
With a maximum basket capacity of 120kg, the NT-14 provides maximum working height and outreach of 13.8m and 6.8m respectively. A higher rating of 200kg is available with maximum height and outreach automatically restricted to 12.2m and 5.6m. Supplied with both a Hatz 1B30 diesel engine and an electric motor, the machine can be mains powered for quiet, fume-free internal operation. Smart is initially taking three of the new platform/transporter combinations, and it is indicative of the interest in the concept that the first went out on hire immediately after being seen at Saltex.
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A low bed height on the transporter and remote control on the platform facilitates loading and unloading.
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www.smartplatforms.co.uk
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