16.02.2007

Hi-Lift Equipment buys 10 mini cranes

Hi-Lift's newly formed division Eco-Lift has purchased 10 Maeda mini crawler cranes. Eco-Lift will be a sister company to Hi-Lift’s powered access division, Hi-Reach.

The move into the mini crawler market is a new venture for Hi-Lift. Hi-Reach has seven depots across the UK and a significant customer base and the company clearly sees potential in adding mini crawler cranes to its range.

“We don’t do things by halves” said Hi-Lift's managing director Paul Richards, “we hit the ground running on March 1st with 10 fully operational Maeda’s and a team of fully trained staff, capable of providing effective technical advice for our customers.”

“The Maeda mini crawler crane is a first class product," said Richards. "We liked its record of reliability and Kranlyft has clearly demonstrated its ability to deliver an excellent service and support package, which was a very important factor for us.”

John Hornby of Kranlyft said, “We see this as a significant order. It feels as if the mini crawler crane is finally coming of age and moving into the main stream access and lifting market. It has been on the cards for a long time and Paul Richards has had the foresight to recognise the potential these machines can bring to his business.”

The ten machines include a mix of Maeda MC104, MC285, MC305, MC405 and LC785 models.

Training for the Eco-Lift team has already started at Kranlyft’s purpose designed Avonmouth training centre which it moved into last year. Since the move the company has seen a significant growth in business.

Director Terry Marnock said, “The new depot has been a catalyst for business development. The demand for Maeda mini crawler cranes has taken off. In the past three months we have won orders for more units than in the whole of the previous year."