18.02.2015

IAPS transforms Scottish rental business

UK rental company Height for Hire Scotland, part of IAPS, has appointed a new director, while changing its name and moving from general access rental to a more specialised range.

The company, based in Wishaw near Glasgow, is rebranding as Specialized Access under Leigh Baker, who founded Lanarkshire based Pinnacle Platforms in 2008, before selling it to Kimberly in 2010. He has also bought into the business. The fleet will be rationalised to focus on spider and truck mounted lifts with a particular focus on Hinowa and Omme Lift spiders and Isoli truck mounts.

The truck mounted fleet already includes telescopic and articulated models ranging from 14 to 52 metres. The company will also offer a wide range of associated training courses and remains a part of the IAPS group.
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(L-R) Jamie Palmer, Bryan Rogers, Margaret Ramsey and Leigh Baker, of Specialized Access with two Hinowa spider lifts

Baker said: “Tracked and truck-mounted booms are the real problem-solvers of our industry, providing access to places other machines simply cannot reach. Contractors who hire these specialist machines rightly want assurances that they are also getting specialist advice and support from genuine experts they can trust. Specialized Access will provide that end-to-end solution, ranging from advice on the correct machine to hire, through to technical support and training.”

“Specialized Access will meet a growing need in Scotland for cost-effective solutions to complex working at height challenges. As part of IAPS group our customers can have complete confidence in after-sales care and technical support. We have a great base on which to build and will look to expand both the fleet and the team as we grow.”

Vertikal Comment

Height for Hire Scotland has never had any associations with the Irish company of the same name, which operates as Easi Uplifts outside Ireland. It was founded in 1977 by Malcolm Brown, with locations in Huntingdon and then Glasgow. In 1987 Brown supported Jim Daintith when he started APS at the Huntingdon premises, and for many years retained a shareholding in the business. Daintith bought Brown’s APS shareholding once the business was up and running.

Then in early 2011, Brown decided to retire and sold Height For Hire to APS, which of course merged with IPS in 2013 to form IAPS. This latest move is a good one in that it further limits competition with customers for IAPS general access products such as Genie and Niftylift, and sets the business up for a later sale should the owners decide to follow that route. It also clears up the long running confusion with the Irish Height For Hire business and theoretically would make it easier for the company to open in Ireland if it so decided.

A sound move all round.