BRIGGS BOOSTS SHORT TERM RENTAL FLEET WITH JCB SCISSOR LIFTS

Briggs Equipment - one of the UK’s largest fork lift truck and materials handling providers - has added 10 JCB scissor lifts to its rapidly growing access platform fleet. The deal, one of the first for the recently launched JCB Access equipment division, includes 5.8m platform height S1930E electric scissors, 8.1m S2632E platforms, the higher lift capacity S2646E model and S3246E scissors, which combine a 10m lift height with a 320kg platform capacity.

The company has invested more than £9.5m in its expanding short term hire fleet this year and will be doubling the number of access platforms available, from 100 to 200 machines throughout 2017. 

JCB has been developing and engineering a line-up of powered access machines in secret for the past two years. By the end of 2017 the newly-launched JCB Access business will be offering a total of 27 new platforms.

Briggs Equipment’s National Rental Manager Allan Parsons said: “From building contractors and heating engineers to commercial window cleaners and security installers, more and more businesses are engaged in day to day tasks that involve working at height.

“JCB has a deserved reputation for well-engineered products that are built to cope with the toughest challenges, so we had no hesitation in adding its new electric scissor lifts to our equipment fleet. 

Cannock-based Briggs Equipment has been a long-standing customer of local dealer Gunn JCB and the company currently runs more than 80 JCB machines on its fleet. This includes industrial Teletruk forklifts, rough terrain fork lifts, Loadall telescopic handlers and now aerial work platforms. These machines are available on a national basis through Briggs’ network of seven depots.

JCB’s move into the powered access market is designed to grab a slice of a market where 130,000 units a year are sold – generating an annual revenue of $8 billion. Powered access platforms are a common sight around the world where temporary access is needed for people to work at height, particularly on construction sites. The new JCB Access products - designed in-house to meet the needs of rental companies and contractors worldwide - will initially be offered in the UK, France, Germany and North America.  

By the end of 2017 JCB’s range of access platforms will include nine electric and three diesel scissor lifts from which can lift to 45 feet, five articulating booms which can go to a height of 81 feet and 10 diesel telescopic booms which can go to 136 feet.