22.10.2007

AFI wins mega contract

AFI-Uplift has won one of the largest contracts ever awarded for the rental of aerial work platforms.

The order, placed by Bovis Lend Lease, is for the provision of all lifts required for the £460 million first phase of ‘Media City:UK’ at Salford Quays, Manchester, a project that will run until 2011.

The contract calls for a minimum of 300 machines to be available for use on site for every day of the four year contract.

Media City:UK is a 200 acre scheme to provide accommodation for the BBC and other major broadcasters, media corporations, and smaller creative businesses, together with business, retail and residential property developments.

The scheme is being developed by a partnership of Peel Holdings, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company and Salford City Council.

AFI, who tendered for the contract in competition with three other leading powered access companies

AFI will be supplying virtually every type of machine from its fleet from small Pop-Ups through to 40 metre boom lifts. The majority of the units will come from AFI’s Manchester depot, with others being supplied from its Liverpool location.

AFI is also committed to maintaining a product support presence at Salford Quays, with maintenance engineers being available to ensure the smooth running of the project.
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(L-R) Alan Webster, Bovis Lend Lease, Jason Seddon, AFI-Uplift and Joe Fitzpatrick, Bovis Lend Lease at the Media City site

Joe Fitzpatrick, health and safety manager for management contractors Bovis Lend Lease, said: “AFI faced stiff competition for the right to form a strategic alliance with Bovis Lend Lease, but they offered a fresh approach to how they would operate as the sole provider of powered access equipment. Their thoughts on health and safety, training and the level of service that would be required were very much in line with our own.”

Under Bovis Lend Lease’s health and safety guidelines, the company is pointing out to all contractors that powered access machines should be given preference to step ladders or ladders in most instances.

Jason Seddon, AFI regional account manager, said:
“It’s a major contract for AFI and for the powered access industry as a whole. It’s a measure of the growth of the company that we have the structure and resources in place to be able to meet the requirements of a contract of this size.”