Despite the ever-increasing demand for work at height across the GCC, rental companies continue to account for the majority of access platform manufacturers’ sales. James Morgan reports.
Aerial work platforms (AWPs) are different from other types of equipment for a number of reasons. Firstly, they do not fall cleanly into any particular sector.
Yes, the units are popular amongst the construction community, but they are equally sought after within fields such as oil and gas and facilities management. Due to the diverse range of applications for which these units can be used, there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ AWP end user.
It is not only the breadth of jobs for which access platforms can be used, however, that sets them apart from other sorts of kit; frequency of use is also a consideration.
Take for example construction contractors. For these firms, units such as bulldozers and backhoe loaders are a daily necessity, whereas they might only require the use of a rough-terrain scissor lift for a couple of weeks per year.
For reasons such as these, the customer demographics of AWP manufacturers tend to differ from those of other equipment producers. Historically, rental firms have accounted for a larger proportion of access platform sales than in other PMV markets.
“It’s true that AWP manufacturers sell predominantly to rental companies,” commented Malcolm Early, vice president of marketing at Skyjack.
“These units sit firmly amongst the construction equipment arsenal alongside traditional ‘dirt equipment’, but in relative terms, – with origins in the 1970s – access platforms are still the new kids on the block,” he told PMV.
In the Middle East, AWPs are becoming an increasingly common feature on building sites. The regional preference to build tall rather than wide means that the need to propel construction workers upwards is no longer so much of a rarity.
“Modern building design and construction techniques mean that the use of AWPs is becoming more mainstream; they are now an everyday sight in the construction sector,” said Early. “Today’s market dynamics might be a little different, but even so, the rental model still predominates.”
One possible explanation for the continued dominance of the rental sector in the AWP market is that of safe practice. Hire firms are not only able to offer contractors the occasional use of access platforms, but some are also in a position to provide trained personnel to go with the machines.
Operating at the interface between AWP manufacturers such as Skyjack and the region’s contractors is Graeme Horribine, IPAF and PASMA training manager at UAE-headquartered access specialist, Al Laith. As an IPAF and PASMA certified instructor, it is Horribine’s job to train both Al Laith’s in-house operators and those of the firm’s customers.
“Wherever there is massive demand for these machines, there also tends to be a massive lack of training,” he explained. “We try to use regulation from markets such as the UK as a base, and transfer it to this region to promote safer practices. One of my responsibilities is to promote IPAF and PASMA, and the benefits that they have to offer.”
Both the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and the Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association (PASMA) work to instill globally consistent standards of operational safety across the AWP sector.
“The benefits of these internationally recognised standards are clear to see; they are accredited to ISO 18878,” Horribine explained.
“When you consider that companies are permitted to provide their own training in the UAE, this level of consistency becomes vital for the promotion of safety,” he added.
In terms of operation, it can be tempting to think of access platforms as fairly straightforward. It’s certainly true that the basic functions of these units are easier to master than, for instance, a motor grader, but the potential for injury is increased by the fact that workers are dozens of metres above the ground.
“AWPs offer a safe and effective way to work at height, but operators need to be properly trained and familiarised before using the equipment,” explained Tim Whiteman, chief executive officer of IPAF.
“IPAF-accreditted instructors offer structured training to provide people with the adequate and necessary knowledge and skills needed to work equipment properly,” he told PMV.
In addition to accrediting individual trainers, Whiteman and his colleagues have developed a quality benchmark for rental companies themselves.
“Companies that carry the IPAF Rental+ quality mark have been independently audited as meeting defined standards in customer service, safety, staff training, contract terms, and machine inspection,” said Whiteman.
“These standards are industry-driven and self-regulating. They are set by a committee of experienced players in the powered access rental business. Each audited company gets a return visit from the auditors every year. In essence, the IPAF Rental+ sign distinguishes reliable suppliers of access equipment that go that extra bit further to provide customers with top quality service,” he added.
Despite the obvious appeal of quality-assured operators, Horribine contends that safety isn’t the primary motivation for contractors that choose to rent rather than to buy.
“Rather than spending $20,000 on a machine that you need for a limited amount of time, it’s sometimes more sensible to pay $800 to hire a unit for a couple of weeks. Commercially, that’s a decision that the contractor itself must make,” he said.
Whatever the reasons for the rental preference, AWP manufacturers such as Skyjack must consider their unique customer base during a machine’s design process.
“Unlike earthmoving equipment, the requirements for access to height can be very specific,” commented Early. “Identifying one, or a relatively small number of machines, that can accomplish a broad range of tasks, therefore, becomes a major objective.
“Skyjack products, for example, are specifically designed for the equipment rental industry. Our range of scissor lifts offers life cycle value through low cost of ownership and ease of maintenance, whilst retaining high residual values,” he added.
Al Laith, meanwhile, is able to supply access platforms on either a temporary or permanent basis, allowing its staff to remain impartial. Whether a customer chooses to rent or to buy, safety is Horribine’s primary objective. To this end – and in conjunction with local authorities – he and his colleagues are working to convince UAE contractors of the necessity to educate their staff about the dangers associated with work at height.
“The more we work with bodies such as the Ministry of Labour and the municipalities, the higher safety standards will become,” Horribine concluded.
