MANAGERS ARE always on the lookout for the best way to manage their capital equipment (and time) efficiently, cost effectively and, of course, with the lowest impact on the environment. 

Lots of new technologies are emerging to help managers achieve their goals, and aerial platform manufacturers are no exception – always moving forward with their tech to be the best in their field. 

Earlier this year my business, International Platforms, was approached by a British firm, Metal and Modular, who were looking for someone to market a brand-new product in the UK and Ireland. On my first visit, I learned about an exciting new MEWP that does not claim to impress users with the latest microchip technology – but offers increased safety, efficiency and reach using great design and traditional engineering.

Metal and Modular is the brainchild of a group of design engineers with decades of experience, who grew frustrated with the restrictions associated with traditional manufacturing services. They wanted to create a different kind of service that combined the benefits of large-scale manufacturing, such as state-of-the-art equipment and economies of scale, with the freedom that many smaller businesses enjoy. They invested in a high-quality factory in Northampton and developed an in-house design and engineering team that would work together with customers to deliver bespoke solutions that would fit their exact needs.

With this ethos in mind, the team spotted a gap in the market for an aerial platform that does not rely on batteries, fuel or hydraulics – but also offers a useful working height of up to six metres. Thus Metal and Modular designed and built the Navigator 6.0, an innovative push around vertical. (PAV). 

A PAV is a compact and easy to operate access platform that can be manually 'pushed' into place by the operator, before being raised up to reach the area of height needed to compete a task. A business might choose to employ a PAV as an alternative to ladders and steps because of their size and light weight. Users like the fact they are also easy to manoeuvre through doorways, into passenger lifts and between narrow aisles in warehouses. This means the machines can be moved quickly to where they are needed. However, with a traditional working height of typically up to 4 or 5 metres they lack the reach of scissor lifts powered by hydraulics. 

Lee Crosse, executive strategic officer of Metal and Modular, said that the concept for the Navigator 6.0 came from talking to PAV users who were looking for a machine that could solve some very specific problems; a wider working height range, cost savings and improved safety features. 

"If, for example, you have a job that involves working at 3m and 6m, you will normally have to change machines to do it. We worked out a way for our PAV to safely reach a working height of 6m without using batteries or hydraulics," he explained. "The operative simply steps in, turns a handle which raises the platform, including the operator, materials and tools, to their chosen working height up to 6m."

Despite its impressive height, like all PAVs this is a light and compact machine. Weighing just 500kg, it has a working footprint of 1.3 x 0.73 metres. When closed, its 1.3m x 1.73 x 1.98 metre frame can easily be stored away. Big enough for a single operator its platform, with a working load of up to 150kg, can be lowered and raised easily with the simple turn of a handle.

A stand-out feature for us is how sustainable and cost effective it is to run. The Navigator has zero carbon emissions which is a key attribute that many environmentally minded businesses are looking for, but not formerly achievable, when working heights of up to 6 metres are needed. When you think about the emissions from a diesel MEWP or the cost of electricity today, this feature becomes even more attractive to those who have the option to employ machines that are not just carbon-neutral, but do not pollute the working environment at all. 

It is also worth pointing out the obvious; that as it doesn’t need charging, there is less downtime. The Navigator 6.0 can be used 24 hours a day if needed which is great for businesses which need to run efficiently throughout the day and night such as warehouses and manufacturing firms. 

If you’re running a factory, warehouse or maintenance project, you would definitely appreciate the savings in service and repair costs, which are much lower than powered MEWPs with hydraulics and motors to maintain.

Safety concerns are also important when we are talking to potential buyers about platforms, especially, when working at low heights where operators might often choose to use a ladder. Ladder accidents can be caused by choosing the wrong type of ladder, using worn or dangerous ladders or using or placing them incorrectly. Even though they offer significant safety features over ladders, where an aerial platform is used to work at low height some employers do still have to call out operators for climbing over railings and being tempted into taking short cuts to save time. 

Integrated in the Navigator 6.0’s design are anti-climb vertical guardrails, gravity sensing and locking gates and safe tethering solutions for tools. It’s also wind rated up to 12.5 m/s when operated outdoors and the team has won UKCA certification meeting EN80 requirements.

Having been very impressed by the credentials of the Navigator 6.0 I was pleased that the Metal and Modular team selected International Platforms to market and distribute the machine in the UK and Ireland. This year the aim is to manufacture 500 of these units and since launch we have received some fantastic orders. I have no doubt demand will be high as its stands head and shoulders above other PAVs on the market. 

After almost 20 years in the access platform industry, I am fortunate to be in a great position to give sound and sensible advice to anyone in a business where working at height is part of the job.

I started International Platforms to help match businesses with the right MEWP for their job for the right price. With new machines currently being in short supply or subject to long waiting lists due to Brexit and the pandemic, much of our business today is in used machines which can be bought as is or refurbished, depending on the needs of the buyer.

Vicki Allen is managing director of International Platforms

For more information: 

www.internationalplatforms.co.uk

Tel: 0333 0064277