Buyer's Guide: MEWPs

ESTABLISHED in 2011, CPL has quickly become the access platform specialist of choice for the UK utility sector and beyond. The company’s rapid rise is the result of a combination of factors: one of the widest ranges of products in the country, all-terrain arb trucks; a dedication to quality; and a proactive team that is committed to providing a full spectrum of services, from design to support.

With three UK manufacturing facilities spanning over 31,000 sq. ft, CPL is the only UK conversion specialist that manufactures over 60% of platforms in-house.

The type approved and manufacturer approved Isuzu D-Max cherry picker has been developed with a low centre of gravity, this is to improve road holding and off-road capability. For instance, the safe working load has increased from 225 kg to 240 kg in the basket, while stability levels have been improved from four to five degrees.

The cherry picker’s deck-based controls have also been improved by being relocated to the nearside of the vehicle, this is to enable safer and easier kerbside operation. The unit has received a 3.5-ton air suspension upgrade with onboard pressure gauges and self-inflating system. The cherry picker conversion is fully hydraulic, safer to operate and easier to use.

With an impressive 13.1 m working height and 6.2 m working outreach, this 4×4 pickup cherry picker conversion is the perfect workhorse for utilities, telecoms and the arborist community.

Optional extras that can be requested on the P130 access platform include; rear beacons built into the body, full beacon pack which includes front, rear and vehicle cab, reverse camera, fully type approved tow bar, company livery and rear chevrons all installed at CPL’s factory by skilled technicians.

The P130 access platform conversion is also available for the Toyota Hilux chassis. Available on 4-wheel drive, this articulated conversion is powered by a 2.4 L diesel engine, which develops around 146 PS and 343 Nm of torque.

The type approved and manufacturer approved Toyota Hilux P130 access platform has been developed with a safe working load of 225 kg in the basket and features ABS, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Brake Assist (BA).

The Toyota access platform deck-based controls have been improved by relocating to the nearside of the vehicle, this is to enable safer and easier kerbside operation.

For more information please contact CPL on 01536 529 876, via email at info@cpl-ltd.com or visit www.cpl-ltd.com. You can also view the P130 training video at www.cpl-ltd.com/cpl-training-video/

UE ACCESS

SOCAGE and its UK partner UE Access have two interesting product developments for late 2019 in the critical 3.5 t GVW 4x4 pick-up category. The A314E replaces the A314 which has consistently been the best selling access platform in the 4x4 pickup market since its introduction in 2010. The 16A is the tallest platform on a 3.5 t 4x4 and offers almost 3 m of additional working height over its competitors whilst retaining a very useable payload on the vehicle for tools and equipment.

With WLTP coming into full force as of 1st September 2019 all platform manufacturers are challenged to maintain payload or keep within GVW limits. SOCAGE has approached this with the introduction of a lighter control system, and in the case of the 16A, a different boom design. The changes made by SOCAGE ensure payload figures are very competitive, up to 500 kg depending on chassis and bodywork options, a figure that many customers have highlighted as desirable.

The introduction of electro-hydraulic controls to the A314E gives a number of other benefits, including better control positioning, increased platform capacity and lower stresses on the boom structure. With a longer, but no wider, outrigger spread stability is improved, as is levelling capability on rough terrain.

These benefits are also seen on the 16A, with both platforms having very similar layouts and controls so mixed fleets have no issues with familiarity, cutting down on training costs for operators. This also translates across to engineers, simplifying service and parts backup.

Launching at GIS EXPO in October 2019, the SOCAGE 16A is mounted on an Isuzu DMax and is the tallest aerial platform available on 4x4 pickup trucks in the 3.5 t GVW class. With 16.1 m of working height and 8 m of outreach, the SOCAGE 16A gives the arboriculture industry performance that was previously reserved for heavier vehicles or on-road only chassis. All this is done without compromise to platform capacity (250 kg) or vehicle payload through the use of SPP profiled booms and electro-hydraulic controls.

Both of these platforms are  available with full telematics. The CONNECT 4.0 system provides connectivity with the platform to track use, provide service support and even operate the platform in emergency situations. In the power and tree care industries where remote working is the norm, this level of support provides the operator with much faster response times.

These features were typically available on large truck-mounted platforms (50 m plus) but SOCAGE has made them available on every E series machine from 13 m – 75 m. Dialling in to the platform is simple and information can be accessed via any web browser both on mobile and PC.

For more information, please visit www.ue-access.com

HINOWA

HINOWA has two key design attributes front of mind for its tracked spider boom lifts – industry-leading compactness, combined with exceptional basket height and reach.

Its Lightlift Performance IIIS range typifies this. Boom lifts in the series deliver working heights ranging from 13.9 m to 32.6 m and outreach from 6.76 m to 16.5 m.

Combined with an articulating hydraulic jib, this performance supports precise basket positioning for safe and fast canopy shaping and reduction for trees of all shapes and sizes.

One of the most popular models for tree work is the Hinowa LL 20.10 IIIS, which has just been upgraded.

It provides a maximum working height of 20.15 m and maximum outreach of 9.7 m. Proportional controls support fast and accurate operation. The boom is also packed with safety features, including a tilt alarm.

As with all tracked booms in the Hinowa range, it is made from steel, not aluminium as some booms are, so can better withstand the occasional knocks from tree work.

A feature popular with arborists is a 230 kg basket capacity. That’s even at full outreach, which is handy when it has to momentarily take the weight of a branch.

The Hinowa LL 20.10 has a travel width of 790 mm so can be tracked through narrow gates for back garden work. As a tracked platform, it is ideal for moving across low-load-bearing ground, including patios.

Power options include petrol, diesel and electric, including lithium battery for sustained, fume-free, low-carbon operation.

The UK authorised distributor for the Italian-designed and manufactured Hinowa spider booms is Access Platform Sales (APS), which has a national aftersales maintenance service.

For more information about Hinowa access platforms, contact APS on 01480 891251 or visit www.accessplatforms.co.uk