Capital Equipment News October 2015

CITY SURGE IS THE TRUE RENAISSANCE of the work-at-height industry

A ccording to the United Nations, by 2030, almost five billion people, or 60 percent of the world’s popu- lation will live in cities. This accelerated urbanisation trend is the key indicator for significant growth in urban and industrial development.

traditional mobile or tower cranes will be seen for many years. But with technologi- cal advancements, Eazi Access Rental has seen the need for smaller nimbler cranes, like the Maeda Mini Crane. With expansion trend being upwards, space becomes in- creasingly constricted, and this is where this mini crane has no equal. Its specialist lifting capability is unsurpassed, and sports a cost and time performance that’s the envy of the industry. The drive for flexibility and efficiency on site increases demand for mechanical hybrids that would not be out of place in a Trans- former movie. Machines like the 3-in-1 Magni telehandler operate as three different solutions: as a rotating telehandler for on- site offloads, as a crane and as an access platform at height. Another major trend is the demand for in- creasingly environmentally friendly ma- chines that reduce the risk of hydraulic spills and run on electric supply or low-emission diesel engines.

Brett Fleming - CEO Eazi Group

machines with Lithium ion batteries has now become standard, owing to their efficiency and environmental performance. For these reasons, Green also opts for ac rather than dc drive motors. The urbanisation push allied with the con- tinued pressure to drive down cost and drive up productivity, has made flexible, mobile el- evated work solutions the next generation in construction development, leapfrogging the yester year of scaffolding. “While traditional work-at-height solutions still remain relevant in many industries, powered access machines and mobile ele- vated work platforms should be considered as the modern alternative – being more than just a trend, they offer the latest technology with safety, flexibility and efficiency in mind,” says Fleming. b

In the context of mega-cities, expansion is no longer outward, it’s upward.

Brett Fleming, CEO of Eazi Group, Africa’s market leader in work-at-height solutions comments, “This industrial growth under- pins the need for a shift in the trend of work- at-height solutions, where safety, efficiency and cost are key.” Recently, Eazi Access Rental landed south- ern Africa’s first JLG 1850 telescopic boom lift that reaches 58.5 m in height, in lay- man’s terms that equates to 17 stories. This colossus is the shape of things to come and reflects the rising volume of projects and tasks being performed at height. With cities booming across Africa, con- struction and infrastructure opportunities continue to thrive and legacy equipment like

According to Marcus Green, National Asset Manager for Eazi Access Rental, powering

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS OCTOBER 2015 26