24 PRM & CATERING LIFTS
GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL JUNE 2013
Specialist provision
The idea of GSE leasing isn’t new – and with every passing year, more and more handlers are waking up to its potential.
hilst the rise and rise of the trimmed-back budget carrier in recent years has certainly
affected the overall demand for the catering truck, sales of PRM lifts seem to be less at the whim of the marketplace. Germany-based DOLL reports that 2012 was much better than 2011 in terms of sales; in fact, the year was the best ever in the company’s history, which says much about demand for this product. Some 71 catering trucks were produced for Gate Gourmet whilst over 60 went to LSG Skychefs. Trucks in kit format were also sent to South Africa and the US and CTV-Doll (in Thailand) also received several dozen units. The company’s Key Account Manager says that the market demand peaked in 2012 after the restraint that has been evident in the preceding years. He doesn’t believe that 2013 will see such impressive returns in terms of GSE sales since his two main customers, mentioned above, are likely to have budgetary constraints during the current financial year.
For DOLL, the most popular truck has been the Mercedes Econic which in diesel format has proved to be a useful mid-range seller. That said, DOLL has also recently sold 15 A380 compatible catering trucks to Emirates and indeed, it has sold well over 100 of this specialist model at the time of writing, making the German manufacturer something of an expert in the genre. DOLL adds that there are plans afoot to address the concept of a greener catering truck; this has been prompted by customer request, the
customers themselves being spurred by airport authority concerns over the environment. Whilst it’s too soon to say much about what’s under wraps, a battery-powered solution would seem to be a likely candidate. Other news has concerned the changing regulations emanating from Brussels. New operational norms are due next year but DOLL hasn’t waited for full confirmation: instead, it has taken on board the new safety proposals that relate to falls from height and to that end has incorporated the body of regulations. It is the first company to have done so to date. Otherwise, DOLL’s safety shoe has been something of breakthrough for the manufacturer: this device can be positioned on the platform and will alert the operator to any irregularities whilst the loading/ unloading operation proceeds. For the foreseeable future, DOLL is keen to expand within the US. Work in Asia and Africa are going well but in this niche sector it is difficult to predict what’s over the horizon. Having a major share of the European market is a bonus but as DOLL freely admits, there are always other opportunities to seek out. China’s Weihai Guangtai is a major player within Asia in terms of all sorts of GSE: covering six plants, its operation is prodigious and its PRM lifts and catering trucks represent just one small part of its overall portfolio. According to the manufacturer’s Kevin Yang, who is International Sales Manager, this last year has been quieter in terms of catering trucks and PRM lift sales, however. “China was a useful market for us
but we didn’t sell so many overseas: a couple went to South Korea and we sold also to Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. At present all our production is diesel- powered and there’s simply no interest in environmentally-friendly power options.” Marko Schottler says that TLD was able to sell several PRM lifts last year. Whilst the main destinations were those of Europe and Asia, several other regions of the world were also served. ”Our most popular model was the CHTP-PM-5.9. This is a self-propelled vehicle equipped with a liftable lounge, for the transportation of elderly people or handicapped people between the airport concourse and the aircraft door, and vice versa. This structure can be fitted on to various commercial trucks with a gross vehicle weight between 7.5 tonnes and 8.5 tonnes, depending on options. As such, the vehicle allows for the transportation of a maximum of two handicapped persons and two stretchers or six PRMs, along with two attendants. “The ERMA CHTP PM-5.9 can be deployed on a very large range of aircraft, from the MD80/B737/A319 to the B747/A340/MD11 types. This model is designed for intensive use, whatever the climatic conditions, and its simple construction and functioning permit low maintenance costs.”
He adds that TLD has engineered several minor improvements; for example, it has remodelled and enhanced the front body access on the front platform “For the moment we have not
promoted an electric version to the marketplace, since customers mainly require truck-mounted versions, which are generally more suitable for this type of product. We believe that there will be other GSE within our range that will be supplied with battery power first.” Mallaghan remains the only GSE manufacturer to have released something truly innovative into the market: that of the CNG-powered scissor truck. Over the last 12 months it delivered several CNG Mercedes Econic models, which have proved very successful because of their carbon neutral benefits. As a manufacturer of both catering trucks and PRM hi-lifts, it reports a steady year in terms of production for 2012. Export markets included mainland Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East; and a new unit opened in the US, where several units were delivered. Most of Mallaghan’s lifts are based on commercial chassis such as DAF, Mercedes, Scania, MAN and Iveco. Proving popular again in 2012 was the ML6100D PRM lift, which is built on a self-propelled chassis: this unit offers a full width platform to connect to the
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