NEWS
ACCESS, LIFT&HANDLERS
APRIL-MAY 2014
8
H&EEquipment Services
has namedRobHepler as its
new senior vicepresident of
sales, H&E’smost senior rental
sales position. Hewill oversee
planningand strategy, alongwith
talent and sales development,
to assist H&E’s ongoing rental
growth objectives.
Skyjack
has launchedanew
App tohelp customers find the
ideal aerial workplatform for
their job. Optimized for iPad
andAndroidportabledevices,
theApp’sProduct Selector is
designed for userswhohave
working knowledge of Skyjack’s
product line. TheSpecTable
provides an overviewof all
Skyjackproducts categorized
by different parameters such
asworkingheight, gradeability,
platformdimensions and
maximum capacity. Inaddition,
theProductWizard, designed for
thosenew toSkyjackmachines,
is designed tomake renting
easy.
HIGHLIGHTS
IPAF rental reports reveal
U.S. market improvement
The latest results from the
International Powered Access
Federation’s (IPAF) 2014 Powered
Access Rental Market Reports
indicate that the U.S. aerial
work platform rental market is
reboundingwith stellar growth of
around 10 percent in 2013,
ALH
has exclusively revealed.
On the other hand the rental
market research reveals that the
Europeanmarket remains stable,
marked by stark differences
across different countries.
Interviews conductedwith rental
companies in the U.S. confirm
forecastsmade in last year’s
report, even surpassing the growth
rates predicted. Rental companies
expect themarket to follow similar
growth trends in 2014 and 2015.
As predicted in the 2013 report,
the U.S. aerial work platform
(AWP) rental fleet expanded
strongly (5 to 10 percent) in
2013 and has now reached pre-
recession levels. This rebound
is flanked by two factors – a
slight increase in newmachine
investment coupledwith a
reduction in fleet sell-offs. Similar
fleet growth is expected in 2014.
While the U.S. AWP fleet has
returned to its pre-recession size,
rental companies did not increase
the share of their business in
construction applications. Instead,
companies kept up their rental
operations in other sectors such
as industrial, maintenance,
utilities, leisure, events, etc. This
shows that rental companies have
becomemore cautious over the
years and are keeping a good level
of diversification to avoid potential
business risks. Average utilization
rates increased slightly in 2013,
as did rental rates.
“Signs are that the U.S. AWP
rental market is striking back
and returning to its glory days,
but the industry has learnt from
the excesses of the past and is
banking on cautious optimism and
solid growth strategies,” said Tim
Whiteman, IPAF CEO.
For information on the European
market, please see IPAF’s news
pages in this issue or visit
.
IPAF says interviews conductedwith rental companies in the U.S.
confirm last year’s growth forecasts, even surpassing the growth
rates predicted. Rental companies expect themarket to follow
similar growth trends in 2014 and 2015.
Aspen launches lightweight
B-32 bridge inspection unit
AspenAerials has launched a new,
lightweight, bridge inspection
unit. TheAspenB-32 comes on a
lightweight truck so that it can be
used onweight-restricted bridges.
As the vehicle is less than
26,000 pounds, theB-32 can also
be driven on a standard driving
license, rather than a commercial
driver’s license (CDL).
Standard features include two
turntables, three booms and a
hydraulic platform extension.
Set-up operation and system
monitoring can be done from
inside the truck cab. AGraphical
Terminal Interface, including
a color display showing unit
operation and individual function
performance,monitors the unit’s
parameters, hydraulics and
enables simple troubleshooting.
Two rotating turntables plus
multiple articulating booms allow
the inspectors to deploy off either
side of the truck. Turntable 2 also
comes equippedwith a hydraulic
levelling system.
The AspenB-32 has also been
designed towork overhead.With
boom1 in its upward position, the
other booms can clear the group
and full overhead reach can be
obtained.
The two-man, 450-pound
capacity platform is equipped
with a hydraulic vertical extension
allowing engineers tomove easily
up into tight areas for a close up
inspection.
Standard features on the bridge
inspection unit include two
turntables, three booms and a
hydraulic platform extension.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
LINAMARGROUP’S
industrial
segment,madeup largely by
Skyjack, showed rises in its 2013
financial year. Operating earnings
wereup129.1percent to$52
million in the year, compared to
2012, based on a sales increase
of 16.8percent.In the fourth
quarter product sales increased
27.9percent or $24.8million
to$113.6million, compared to
the sameperiod in2012. Fourth
quarter operating earnings
increasedby $4.9million, or
1633.3percent, over the2012
fourthquarter.
HAULOTTEGROUP
saw a return
togrowthduring the2013
financial year drivenmainly by
theNorth andSouthAmerican
markets. The company’s
revenuegrewby 3percent in
2013, compared to2012. Latin
Americawas up26percent
andAsia-Pacificwas up9
percent. Inmonetary terms,
operating income from continuing
operations increased to$15
million, despite exchangegain
and losses recorded at $6.6
millionand impairment charges
inNorthAmerica of $5.1million.
