09.02.2006

Skyjack to go full line

In a press conference today Skyjack unveiled more details of its plans to enter the boom lift market. Its 40 and 45ft straight boom models will be followed by a 60 and 65ft, a 45ft articulating boom range and then every four to six months further new models, with a full line being completed within four to five years.
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The new Skyjack SJ45T boom

The new models will follow the company’s principles of Simplicity, reliability and Serviceability. The new booms for example are relatively “low tech” compared with the market leaders latest offerings.

They use axles rather than hydraulic motors, have a standard 2.4 metre wide cage with dual entry points, easy to repair fibreglass covers and swing out components.
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Skyjacks engine bay (Deutz) on its new boom

They do though feature the Skyjack auto reverse steer and drive controls, that automatically ensure that the controls work intuitively whether the turret is over the front or over the rear.
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On the other side the hydraulics are relatively simple

Dave Stewart, vice president of sales and marketing, said that the company had an aggressive product introduction programme and had no limits on its aspirations. The company has set its sights on the two market leaders, JLG and Genie, with the aim to grow the business and catch up in terms of size, but focusing on profitability.

By the time that the boom line is complete it is expected that boom sales will have overtaken those for scissor lifts.

Skyjack’s owner Linamar has set itself a target of achieving $10 billion in sales by 2020 and the Industrial division, of which Skyjack is a major element, is part of that vision.

When asked about production capacity, Lloyd Spalding, president, said that thanks to dramatically increased production efficiencies, all scissors are now produced in the same plant, rather than in the two plants it used to operate, the second plant is now home to the company’s rebuild and refurbishment centre and will also build the Boom range.

He also said that in the case of additional capacity Linamar operates 37 plants worldwide, a good number of them in the Guelph area, Skyjacks home town. So additional space would not be a problem.