This year will see construction equipment manufacturer JCB move into a powered access range, with the first nine models launched in the UK
Construction equipment firm JCB plans to have a significant presence in the powered access sector this year. The firm launched nine electric scissor models at its UK headquarters earlier this week, and revealed further plans to have 27 scissors, articulated booms, and telescopic booms by the end of 2017.
JCB said it hoped to benefit from the powered access market, which it said sells 130,000 units each year, generating a revenue of US$8bn.
Planning to break into the market has taken some two years and has seen some the company bring on board a number of aerial work platform experts to aid with is.
The equipment will be produced in China, where the manufacturer has a dedicated production line.
New products
By the end of the year, JCB will have nine electric and three diesel scissor lifts from 15’ (4.6m) to 45’ (13.8m); five articulating booms from 49’ (14.9m) to 81’ (24.6m); and 10 diesel telescopic booms from 67’ (20.6m) to 136’ (41.6m).
The smallest scissor lift models are the S1530E and S1930E. They have platforms measuring 1.64m long by 0.76m wide, while other larger models use a 2.5m long platform. The S4550E model, which is the largest, has a 2.64m long working area. Basket capacity on these lifts range from 227kg to a maximum of 550kg. The electric models will be powered by 6V or 12V batteries, with hydraulic drive. It is expected three diesel models will also be introduced.
JCB’s articulated booms will have platform heights of 49ft (14.9m) through to 81ft (24.6m) on four models. These will also have four wheel drive and two-wheel steer.
In quarter three a 45ft (13.7m) platform height AJ45E electric powered articulating boom model will be launched. The electric model has two wheel drive and two wheel steering.
Initially the new products will be offered in the UK, France, Germany and North America.
Driven by customer demand
Speaking to AI prior to the launch, access division’s managing director Richard Butler said the decision to move into this area was driven by customer demand.
“They had been saying to us for a number of years, ‘there is one area of the business that you don’t deal with, and it’s the access sector’,” he said.
“It was a logical extension; we had been busy growing our product range over the years in the construction and agriculture sectors but the noise escalated – the number of customers who said, ‘you should be in this sector because it has so many synergies with products you already supply’. It was a no-brainier in reality, and we set about it.”
