Skyjack boosts Ashbrook fleet as rental company quickly expands its business

December 6, 2017; Guelph, Ontario – Linamar Corporation’s (TSX-LNR) Skyjack division continues to gain traction with UK rental company, Ashbrook, which is quickly expanding its fleet of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). The Canadian manufacturer’s range of simply reliable machines form the majority of Ashbrook’s fleet, as the UK company celebrates its rapid rise in the rental sector. Ashbrook has now added more than 120 access machines to its fleet in 2017, with more due to arrive, and orders already placed for 2018.

Ashbrook began sourcing new access equipment in 2016 when it took over two depots from Hewden, a former plant hire company. The company wanted to ensure it was running a modern and safe fleet of machines, and specifically selected Skyjack’s range of equipment as the units are easy to operate and maintain. Skyjack also provided Ashbrook with helpful and professional support.

“We have been expanding our fleet quickly and we’ve bought nearly the full range of Skyjack units as they’re good, reliable products,” said James Ashbrook, managing director of Ashbrook. “We have a good relationship with Skyjack - they are our brand of choice, as like us, they have a customer first and can-do attitude.”

J K Ashbrook has been trading in the north west of the UK since the 1990s, is one of the leading plant hire, groundworks, and civil engineering contractors in the region. The former Hewden depots at Bangor and Warrington have been added to the group, and a new depot has been established at Amlwch, in north Wales, this year. As well as offering a full range of access equipment they offer nationwide self-drive hire of construction plant equipment, including excavators, telehandlers, bulldozers, dumpers, rollers, and tractors.

“We’ve come a long way since first investing in access equipment,” Ashbrook said. “It is clear from the success of our access division that there is high demand for a professional, reliable hire service that combines new equipment, access to the latest machinery and innovation, without the cost of ownership.”

The milestone 100th machine delivered this year was a SJ9250 RT rough terrain scissor, which was used for signage work near the internationally renowned football club, Manchester United.

Booming business
Among Ashbrook’s fleet, the most popular Skyjack machines are the SJ46 AJ articulating boom and SJ6832 RT rough terrain scissor. “We have a good customer base for construction, heavy industry, and events production,” said Ashbrook. “This has been a huge investment for us, and it strengthens our position as a leading plant and access hire provider in the north west and north Wales area.”

Skyjack’s SJ46 AJ articulating boom is one of the most compact units in the range. It has a working height of 16.1m (52.8ft), a horizontal reach of 7.54m (24.7ft), a maximum weight capacity of 227kg (500lbs), up-and-over clearance of 7.45m (24.4ft), and zero tailswing. As with other models in Skyjack’s articulating boom range, the SJ46 AJ features SKYRISER™, a unique feature that ensures that the main pivot point connecting the boom to the riser travels in a straight vertical line without drifting, to reduce the amount of machine repositioning.

The SJ6832 RT is one of the smaller rough terrain scissors Skyjack produces. With a maximum working height of 11.75m (38.5ft) and a maximum weight capacity of 454kg (1,000lbs), the unit is drivable at full height with the 1.52m (5ft) roll-out deck fully extended. The 4WD unit offers 40% gradeability and is suitable on challenging jobsites.

“The Skyjack machines are great to work with,” said Mark Hughes, site foreman at The Rosebery Group, a Cheshirebased electrical engineering company that is one of Ashbrook’s customers. “Since having Skyjack scissor lifts and booms on-site, from Ashbrook, we haven’t experienced any problems or loss of productivity. They always arrive on time, are very clean, and in an excellent condition.

Photo: UK rental company Ashbook supplied Skyjack’s SJ9250 RT to help crews carry out signage work in Manchester, UK