The main reason for using an enclosed van mounted lift is that it provides a method of working at height up to around 17 metres along with secure storage that can double as a mobile store, workshop or lockup. The 3.5 tonne truck mounted lifts above 20 metres on the other hand, have little if any spare payload capacity for tools or equipment.
The van mounted lift was originally developed for street lighting contractors and telephone engineers which carry electrical components to work on lights or overhead wires, while having the ability to carry out work on the ground in a dry environment. More recently other trades have come on the scene that appreciate such convenience, such as close circuit camera installers and maintenance contractors as well as urban tree care companies. Street lighting generally requires heights of up to 11 metres for town centres and amenity lighting and 12.5 to 17 metres for lights along major roads or highways. Security camera work typically requires working heights of 12 to 13 metres with around five to six metres outreach.
The van mounted lift is most popular in the UK, France and some Nordic countries with sales growing at a steady rate. In the UK for instance the number of van mounts in the top rental fleets - according to the C&A Top 30 rental company survey - has gone up by 27 percent over the past two years and 58 percent over the past 11 years. As a comparison, truck mounted platforms increased by 42 percent since 2017 but just 11 percent since 2008. Major powered access rental companies now included 1,400 van mounted lifts in their fleets compared to 868 truck mounts.
Klubb pushing to be number one?
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Cranes & Access.
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This story is from the February 2020 edition of Cranes & Access.
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