Products & Materials : Plant & Machinery News
Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

To ensure the safe and efficient handling of materials, the UK’s leading manufacturer of offsite, panelised ‘room in roof’ systems Smartroof has invested in four Combilift at its Derbyshire production facility With the previous 12 months being the busiest in the company’s history, there has been a marked increase in

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Speedy Is First UK Construction Hire Provider to Commit to Net Zero

Speedy Is First UK Construction Hire Provider to Commit to Net Zero

Speedy has become the first UK hire provider to publicly commit to adopting science-based targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2050, further enhancing their accountability focused leadership in sustainability. Science-based targets (‘SBT’) provide a clearly defined pathway for companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping prevent the worst

Read More »
Speedy & B&Q Partner up to Meet DIY Demand for Tool Hire

Speedy & B&Q Partner up to Meet DIY Demand for Tool Hire

Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of tools and equipment hire and B&Q, the UK’s leading home improvement retailer, have formally extended their partnership which offers tool hire to DIY customers. The partnership builds on an initial trial and will enable customers across the UK to hire the latest high quality

Read More »
Speedy to Light up COP26 with Sustainable Lighting System

Speedy to Light up COP26 with Sustainable Lighting System

National equipment hire and services provider Speedy has been selected to light up the perimeter of the COP26 climate summit with a sustainable lighting system that will save an estimated 6,200 litres of diesel and 16 tonnes of CO2e. Speedy’s National Support Centre located in Glasgow is providing a total

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Revolutionary shut-off feature installed on new Mobile Mini fleet

Mobile Mini UK, one of the leading worldwide providers of portable accommodation and secure storage containers, has continued its innovative approach to safety by implementing a brand-new automatic shut-off feature as standard across its latest fleet of transportation vehicles. The feature relates directly to crane operations and by utilising enhanced

Read More »
Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

To ensure the safe and efficient handling of materials, the UK’s leading manufacturer of offsite, panelised ‘room in roof’ systems Smartroof has invested in four Combilift at its Derbyshire production facility With the previous 12 months being the busiest in the company’s history, there has been a marked increase in

Read More »

New Bobcat Excavator and Loader Demolish House in Just 2 Days

In the Czech Republic, refurbishment of family houses dating from the 1970s is often not worthwhile and a good number of these properties are demolished. This was the case with a house in Rudná near Prague, which the owner had decided to demolish. However, quotes from companies to do the

Read More »

Financing Options Expanded for Buying Bobcat Machines

Wider choice of 4 finance schemes for buying new Bobcat equipment Under a special promotion running to the end of December 2021, Bobcat is offering customers an expanded choice of attractive hire purchase financing options for buying new Bobcat loaders, mini-excavators and telehandlers. The roster of finance options in the

Read More »

SPEEDY BRINGS INDUSTRY-FIRST ECO HYBRID LIGHTING TOWER TO MARKET

Construction equipment hire and services provider Speedy has introduced the industry’s first plug-in hybrid outdoor lighting tower to the market following a multi-million-pound investment in its UK fleet. The business has added 200 new Speedy V20 Eco Hybrid units to its lighting range through an exclusive partnership with Generac. The

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SPEEDY SUPPORTS SCOTTISH CONSTRUCTION WITH TWO NEW SERVICE CENTRES

Construction services provider Speedy has opened two new regional service centres in Scotland, strategically located on key arterial routes into Edinburgh and Aberdeen to help local contractors quickly access crucial equipment. The purpose-built 22,000 sq ft centre on West Edinburgh Business Park consolidates the hire provider’s smaller outlets previously located

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

Products & Materials : Plant & Machinery News

Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

To ensure the safe and efficient handling of materials, the UK’s leading manufacturer of offsite, panelised ‘room in roof’ systems Smartroof has invested in four Combilift at its Derbyshire production facility With the previous 12 months being the busiest in the company’s history, there has been a marked increase in the volume of materials that need to be offloaded and moved around both inside and outside the factory. To increase production efficiencies and to meet the growth in demand for ‘room in roof’ systems, Smartroof has acquired four new multidirectional forklifts from Combilift for its Swadlincote facility. Handling specialist Forkway provided Smartroof with two Combilift C8000E and two Combilift CBE 3000 models which were supplied with Smartroof’s corporate livery. Commenting on the additions, Lukasz Semen, Production Director at Smartroof said: “Space utilisation and speed were crucial factors and the Combilifts have been integral to keeping up with fast paced operations and gaining more workspace inside.” The largest electric model available, the C8000E has enabled the safe handling of 10-12m long x 2.7m deep bundles of roof panels. Fitted with a 5.5m mast, a 6m wide hydraulic spreader beam with 2.5m long forks, the Combilift can reach across the truck bed to lift a complete load in one single procedure. With the previous trucks this necessitated multiple lifts and what used to take 40 minutes is now complete in 15 minutes. The CBE 3000s have a 3t capacity and will enable the Smartroof operatives to offload lighter products and components, as well as transport materials to the assembly lines. Compact and manoeuvrable, they can move between machinery without hindering the production facility. “We are in the process of changing the layout of the production area to accommodate the larger models, and without their multidirectional ability we’d have at least 20% less capacity overall. We weren’t expecting them to be quite as big as they are, but when we see them at work we realise why. They do exactly what we need and we’re very happy with the outcome,” added Lukasz. The investment in these handling solutions will ensure a high level of operational flexibility at the Smartroof facility and will ensure the company will be able to meet the housing sector’s growing demand for offsite ‘room in roof’ solutions.

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Speedy Is First UK Construction Hire Provider to Commit to Net Zero

Speedy Is First UK Construction Hire Provider to Commit to Net Zero

Speedy has become the first UK hire provider to publicly commit to adopting science-based targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2050, further enhancing their accountability focused leadership in sustainability. Science-based targets (‘SBT’) provide a clearly defined pathway for companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping prevent the worst impacts of climate change and ensuring sustainable business growth. An emissions target is considered ‘science-based’ if it is in line with the reductions needed to meet the global commitment under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. In the long term, reducing the carbon output of Speedy’s hire and vehicle fleet through the use of solar, hybrid, electric and hydrogen technology will help achieve this global goal. Speedy’s targets will be verified by the Science Based Targets initiative and published, alongside the first year’s progress, over the coming financial year. Alongside the SBT commitment, Speedy will also be joining the We Mean Business coalition and the United Nations Global Compact’s to accelerate an inclusive transition to a net zero economy. The move to commit to an SBT reinforces the firm’s position on setting the pace in the UK hire sector in the drive to achieve net zero. It follows on the heels of other market-leading sustainability commitments including: trialling a number of electric delivery vehicles including two converted electric London taxis; a company car list that now consists almost entirely of hybrid and electric vehicles; launching the first 7-tonne Electra eStar rear-steer beavertail body truck in the UK (in partnership with Sterling GP); being the first hire provider to switch to fuelling powered access machinery exclusively with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), and working closely with customers and suppliers to trial the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), reducing carbon emissions by up to 90%. “I am proud to announce that we are the first hire company in the UK to commit to net zero carbon emissions under science based targets before 2050. We are committing to this to challenge ourselves in a transparent and measurable way,” said Speedy’s Chief Executive Russell Down. “As a key enabler within the supply chain, our aim is to inspire confidence in our people, customers and supply chain partners by reducing the carbon output of our hire and vehicle fleet through the use of new technologies. We will be working collaboratively with all our stakeholders to deliver net-zero carbon within the industry.”

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Speedy & B&Q Partner up to Meet DIY Demand for Tool Hire

Speedy & B&Q Partner up to Meet DIY Demand for Tool Hire

Speedy, the UK’s leading provider of tools and equipment hire and B&Q, the UK’s leading home improvement retailer, have formally extended their partnership which offers tool hire to DIY customers. The partnership builds on an initial trial and will enable customers across the UK to hire the latest high quality tools and equipment from Speedy stores within B&Q, for their home improvement projects. B&Q is committed to making it easier for customers to improve their homes and make life better. Partnerships are an essential part of this, with shop-in-shop and concession partnership models enabling B&Q to adapt quickly to changing consumer demands in order to get closer to customers and ensure that their needs are met. The Speedy Hire partnership demonstrates the pace, scale and agility that’s central to B&Q’s growth strategy. “Following a successful trial, we are delighted to announce this formal agreement to extend our partnership with B&Q. This new agreement demonstrates the power of the Speedy brand and our market leading customer service proposition. We have seen growing demand from B&Q customers for our products since we opened our first in-store outlet last year, and we’re excited about supporting more DIYers up and down the UK as we continue to grow,” said Russell Down, Chief Executive, Speedy. The Speedy in-store outlets will provide B&Q customers with access to the firm’s national four-hour delivery promise on its 350 most popular products. These range from angle grinders, floor sanders, hammer drills and mixers to tower scaffolds, generators, lighting and dust extraction units, and can be ordered in time to enable DIYers to get on with the job same day. Speedy has seen rising demand for hire from B&Q customers since the start of the trial last summer. Hiring a wide range of tools and equipment enables homeowners to be more confident and ambitious with their DIY, and provides them with a convenient and accessible way of completing improvement projects where buying bigger ticket DIY tools may not be feasible. “We’re delighted to be rolling out tool and equipment hire service concessions to 23 more of our stores with Speedy, following a trial at 16 stores. Our customers are continuing to adapt and change to new ways of living and shopping, and the Speedy concessions are just one way in which we’re making it easier for people to improve their homes. We’re excited by the potential re-use of our space to offer new services in store and the positive response we’re seeing from our customers,” added Chris Bargate, Director of Business Development, B&Q. With sustainability high on the agenda, hiring tools that would be used a handful of times and then stored away potentially destined for landfill will also benefit the environment, reflecting a more circular economy in the re-use of DIY tools and equipment. Speedy’s existing customers will also have access to the new trade counters 7 days a week to order and collect products, adding to its existing 200-strong national Service Centre network. The roll-out follows the successful trial in 16 B&Q stores with a further 23 in-store outlets scheduled to open by January.

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Speedy to Light up COP26 with Sustainable Lighting System

Speedy to Light up COP26 with Sustainable Lighting System

National equipment hire and services provider Speedy has been selected to light up the perimeter of the COP26 climate summit with a sustainable lighting system that will save an estimated 6,200 litres of diesel and 16 tonnes of CO2e. Speedy’s National Support Centre located in Glasgow is providing a total of 400 linear lights which will run for two miles around the security perimeter of the venue. The bespoke solution developed by Speedy specifically for the event is made up of LED lighting towers and low energy beam control lighting heads. They are highly efficient, offering up to 200 lumens, or light energy, for each watt of power consumed. The lighting system, which will be in place for five weeks, will prevent noise pollution and fumes that would be produced if the lighting was powered by diesel. Speedy’s low carbon lighting system is also used on a number of other major infrastructure projects where sustainability is central including HS2 and national core renewal rail projects. “As such a historic and significant climate event, COP26 needed a supplier with the technology to deliver a low carbon solution to lighting, minimising the impact on the environment. COP26 will set out the gold standard for green events, so everything that goes into its infrastructure and management needs to be sustainable,” said Daryl Doherty, rail director at Speedy. “Speedy is a leading supplier of low and zero emission lighting, which is helping contractors in the events, construction and rail sectors to slash emissions. Being selected as the delivery partner to light up COP26 recognises our track record in delivering sustainable solutions across major UK projects, and offers us a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how our innovative low carbon lighting technology can play an important role in delivering a carbon-zero project.” The contract win follows Speedy’s £6.3m investment in low-carbon lighting to help construction, infrastructure engineering and events contractors to reduce carbon emissions through electric-only operation. The business also recently partnered with Generac to develop and bring the industry’s first plug-in hybrid outdoor lighting tower, the Speedy V20 ECO Hybrid to the market. The Glasgow-based event is the most significant climate change conference since 2017, bringing together world leaders, government representatives, negotiators and businesses to tackle the climate crisis. COP26 will be a carbon-neutral conference, certified by the International Standard for Sustainable Events (ISO20121). It has a comprehensive Carbon Management Plan and will demonstrate leadership within the field of sustainable event management. For more information, visit: https://www.speedyservices.com/

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Revolutionary shut-off feature installed on new Mobile Mini fleet

Mobile Mini UK, one of the leading worldwide providers of portable accommodation and secure storage containers, has continued its innovative approach to safety by implementing a brand-new automatic shut-off feature as standard across its latest fleet of transportation vehicles. The feature relates directly to crane operations and by utilising enhanced on-board AI, reduces the chances of human error as well as increases the capability of overall lifting and remote-control operations.  Crane safety features consist of slew restrictors, front legs for improved duties and increased stability and auto remote shut down after 30 seconds, whilst features such as ADR kits, cone holders, warning signage, low view windows in passenger doors and no access to climb onto the body ensure the Mobile Mini fleet is amongst the safest on the road. This is compounded by several additional twist locks, providing even more confidence that loading is a safe and secure process. The new fleet has been unveiled in partnership with global vehicle manufacturer Scania and crane and tractor unit specialists Mac’s Trucks. Three new trucks containing the revolutionary shut-off feature have already been delivered with five more on the way this year. It is expected that 30 new trucks will arrive in total, delivered at appropriate intervals over the next 24 months and replacing 60% of the current fleet, which has been in place for the last 7 years. Alex McDade, Sales Executive at Mac’s Trucks said, “As a joint partnership between Scania and Macs Trucks, we are pleased to currently have 15 vehicles in production and further vehicles due for Q2 next year, ranging from 18T to 32T gross vehicle weights all to be fitted with specialist crane vehicles ranging up to 71tm capacity with full 360 degree operation meaning we can deliver anywhere with the vehicle. Scania are continuing their long relationship with Mobile Mini, now with a 7-year repair and maintenance contract across all parts of the UK. At Macs Truck, we are building the bespoke body work and crane fitment, such as the Scania R500 6×2 tractor unit. Fassi cranes have been chosen again due to their reliability and brilliant back up network across the UK. Mac’s new front legs set up has been the latest improvement to Mobile Mini vehicles, offering better performance, especially over the front of the cab.” Mobile Mini is FORS Gold accredited and ensure all advancements are made in compliance with these standards. Mobile Mini has invested £3million on upgrading its fleet over the last 18 months and has injected another £5.5million ahead of next year, ensuring the new fleet is the most modern, reliable and advanced on the market. Additional features found on the new 2021 fleet include bespoke segregation barriers, mirrors on storage walls and cut-away doors for added visibility and safety displays that give fingertip info and guidance to crane operators. This is combined with a recent roll out of SMUK’s Halo system and 360 cameras and lights, providing high-definition views of driver activity and a direct link to telematics configurations. Nick Sesevic, SHEQ Advisor at Mobile Mini UK said, “Mobile Mini is synonymous with safety excellence and has an enviable safety record of no major incidents over the past two years. We anticipate this technology will become the future industry safety standard and look forward to seeing them out on the road and on-site with our customers very soon.” Andy Cowell, Mobile Mini UK Transport Manager said, “Changes to our fleet are not quick fixes, but we are fortunate to be one of few companies in our industry to purchase rather than lease vehicles, giving us added flexibility and control. Coupling this with the best-trained drivers across the largest crane mounted fleet of its kind in the UK, underpins our recent accolades and reputation for world-class customer service.  The next 12 months represents the most we have ever invested in our fleet, as we work closely with our preferred suppliers to secure the highest quality crane mounted trucks in the industry. Our thanks to Scania and Mac’s Trucks for their continued efforts and assistance in improving the next generation of vehicles.” Last month, Mobile Mini installed a new digital reporting system, Assure by SHE Software, supported by QR codes on high-visibility jackets and across branded materials such as site posters, key-fobs, coasters and more. This ensures risk assessment, incident and health & safety reporting, asset, maintenance, service tracking and compliance is easier than ever for ground teams facing hazards to flag the issues or obstacles they face. Earlier this year, three branches were awarded Merits from the British Safety Council and the UK SHEQ team were named ‘Safety Team of the Year Highly Commended Winner’ at the International Safety Awards. Mobile Mini has also rolled out life-saving defibrillator equipment to all of its UK branches for the protection of customers, clients and over 370 members of staff. 

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Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

Smartroof Makes Light Work with Combilift

To ensure the safe and efficient handling of materials, the UK’s leading manufacturer of offsite, panelised ‘room in roof’ systems Smartroof has invested in four Combilift at its Derbyshire production facility With the previous 12 months being the busiest in the company’s history, there has been a marked increase in the volume of materials that need to be offloaded and moved around both inside and outside the factory. To increase production efficiencies and to meet the growth in demand for ‘room in roof’ systems, Smartroof has acquired four new multidirectional forklifts from Combilift for its Swadlincote facility. Handling specialist Forkway provided Smartroof with two Combilift C8000E and two Combilift CBE 3000 models which were supplied with Smartroof’s corporate livery. Commenting on the additions, Lukasz Semen, Production Director at Smartroof said: “Space utilisation and speed were crucial factors and the Combilifts have been integral to keeping up with fast paced operations and gaining more workspace inside.” The largest electric model available, the C8000E has enabled the safe handling of 10-12m long x 2.7m deep bundles of roof panels. Fitted with a 5.5m mast, a 6m wide hydraulic spreader beam with 2.5m long forks, the Combilift can reach across the truck bed to lift a complete load in one single procedure. With the previous trucks this necessitated multiple lifts and what used to take 40 minutes is now complete in 15 minutes. The CBE 3000s have a 3t capacity and will enable the Smartroof operatives to offload lighter products and components, as well as transport materials to the assembly lines. Compact and manoeuvrable, they can move between machinery without hindering the production facility. “We are in the process of changing the layout of the production area to accommodate the larger models, and without their multidirectional ability we’d have at least 20% less capacity overall. We weren’t expecting them to be quite as big as they are, but when we see them at work we realise why. They do exactly what we need and we’re very happy with the outcome,” added Lukasz. The investment in these handling solutions will ensure a high level of operational flexibility at the Smartroof facility and will ensure the company will be able to meet the housing sector’s growing demand for offsite ‘room in roof’ solutions.

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New Bobcat Excavator and Loader Demolish House in Just 2 Days

In the Czech Republic, refurbishment of family houses dating from the 1970s is often not worthwhile and a good number of these properties are demolished. This was the case with a house in Rudná near Prague, which the owner had decided to demolish. However, quotes from companies to do the work were very expensive, so the owner decided to investigate other methods for carrying out the project. Other factors to consider included the relatively small plot of land on which the house was built, with the neighbour’s fence in close proximity and also the presence of a beautiful walnut tree, which needed to be protected during the work. In the end, the owner chose to carry out the work themselves with the help of a friend, Jiří Vrzáček, who is an industry expert, who regularly reviews machines and methods for this type of work and has carried out other demolition projects of this sort in the past. Jiří approached the project very analytically and found out which demolition solution would be the most effective, in terms of speed, overall costs and the lowest possible risk of damage to the environment. He considered three approaches – comparing the use of a large 22 tonne excavator, a classic backhoe loader or a combination of a compact excavator and a compact loader. Compact Demolition Solution Wins Out Demolition with a large excavator would be very fast, but spatially, this solution proved unrealistic and working with a backhoe loader would take too long. In the end, they chose to use a pair of machines with precisely divided tasks: the demolition work was undertaken using a new Bobcat E55z mini-excavator and the loading of debris by a new Bobcat T76 compact track loader. This combination, together with the use of specialized attachments, proved to be very effective: in just six hours, the house was completely demolished to ground level. Overall, the demolition and complete removal of debris was completed in a record two days and it was only the delays in trucks arriving at the site to take away the spoil that meant a second day was needed. Jiří Vrzáček said: “We started the demolition very carefully – we tore down the chimneys and gables by hand, due to the proximity of the neighbour. This was followed by lightning-fast demolition, which we actually had done in six hours. Next in line was the loading of 400 tonne of material, where we were mainly limited by the speed of debris removal from the site. “Here the power of specialized technology was fully demonstrated: the E55z excavator with a hydraulic grab gradually dismantled the house and piled the debris to one side at the same time as sorting through the material rather than by hand. The T76 compact track loader was then able to load 32 tonne of debris in 15 minutes. Thanks to quality planning and a really careful selection of equipment, including the attachments, we managed to reduce costs by almost half.” The Bobcat Machines Used in the House Demolition An E55z mini-excavator, which features Bobcat’s unique Zero House Swing (ZHS) feature, adding another level of protection to the standard zero tail swing design, providing full peace of mind when operating the machine near walls and other obstacles. The E55z has an operating weight of 5346 kg and offers a maximum reach at ground level of 5843 mm. The T76 is the largest of the new R-Series compact track loaders that Bobcat began manufacturing at the end of 2020. The T76 has a tipping load of 4050 kg. It can lift a load to a maximum height of 3.20 m. Attachments – they included a hydraulic sorting grab, hydraulic hammers, grapple buckets and standard buckets and others. For more information about Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit www.bobcat.com

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Financing Options Expanded for Buying Bobcat Machines

Wider choice of 4 finance schemes for buying new Bobcat equipment Under a special promotion running to the end of December 2021, Bobcat is offering customers an expanded choice of attractive hire purchase financing options for buying new Bobcat loaders, mini-excavators and telehandlers. The roster of finance options in the special promotion now includes a new Seasonal Payments Plan launched by Bobcat. This adds to the Buy Now, Pay Later; 50% Half Price Rentals and 0% Over 3 Years plans also available in the promotion period. These finance schemes are attractive for customers in all markets, including construction, rental, agriculture, horticulture, waste, recycling and landscaping. “Particularly suited to seasonal industries such as agriculture and horticulture, the new Seasonal Payments scheme adds another financing option to the wide array available to Bobcat customers. This expands choice and helps new and existing Bobcat customers to develop their businesses, both to weather tough market conditions, but also to meet increased demand,“ says Hayley Quinn, Finance Manager for Doosan Financial Solutions EMEA in the UK & Ireland. A Choice of Four Different Financing Schemes Seasonal Payments Plan – Under this scheme, customers pay an initial 10% downpayment, followed by an agreed schedule dictated by the seasonal nature of their businesses of further payments over a 36 month period, based on a very attractive 0% interest rate. Buy Now, Pay Later – Complementing the seasonal payments scheme, this plan provides up to 180 days deferral on the first payment. This allows customers to generate profits from their new Bobcat machines, well before they need to complete their first instalment payment, with no downpayment and a 0.45% interest rate. 50% Half Price Rentals – Providing another level of flexibility, under the 50% Half Price Rentals finance scheme, customers pay a 10% downpayment, but then only need to pay half of the regular monthly hire purchase payments for the first 12 months of the plan. 0% Over 3 Years – Completing the choice of finance plans is a 0% interest scheme, with payments spread over 36 months and with a 10% downpayment. As with all the plans, the customer will own the equipment following the final payment. John Christofides, Regional Sales Director, Northern Europe, East Europe and CIS and Russia for Bobcat EMEA, added: “With the addition of the new Seasonal Payments scheme, we are providing our customers with even more answers for purchasing Bobcat machines, so they can ensure their businesses prosper and meet increasing demand as we come out of the pandemic. Our special finance schemes also provide our customers’ businesses with the flexibility they need to deal with ever changing market conditions.” All details and applications for the finance schemes are available via Authorised Bobcat Dealers in the UK. For more information about Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit the website www.bobcat.com

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SPEEDY BRINGS INDUSTRY-FIRST ECO HYBRID LIGHTING TOWER TO MARKET

Construction equipment hire and services provider Speedy has introduced the industry’s first plug-in hybrid outdoor lighting tower to the market following a multi-million-pound investment in its UK fleet. The business has added 200 new Speedy V20 Eco Hybrid units to its lighting range through an exclusive partnership with Generac. The four-in-one units can run directly from the mains, an internal battery, a solar panel hired separately, or on green HVO D+ (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel and they can operate automatically in reaction to changing light levels. An external battery pack can power the towers for up to five days at 10 hours per day. Speedy’s £6.3m investment also includes 225 new MX Fuel Lighting Towers, 200 X-Eco Lighting Towers, 100 VB9+ Lighting Towers and 100 solar powered lights to its fleet for contractors to hire across the UK. The 825 new towers from Generac, Trime and Milwaukee will help construction, infrastructure engineering and events contractors to reduce carbon emissions through electric-only operation, while offering users options which run on diesel HVO D+ if projects require. Speedy takes delivery of the new kit ahead of the clocks going back for winter, with shorter nights driving high demand from contractors for lighting towers to keep sites safe. Many of the towers will be used to support major rail development projects across the country, with a large quantity already earmarked for HS2 delivery partners. Andy Connor, group supply chain director at Speedy, said: “The new, sustainable products will enable contractors to reduce carbon footprints across their projects. Working closely with Generac on the launch of the Speedy V20 Eco Hybrid towers is an excellent example of how we’re using our intermediary position in the construction supply chain to introduce new, transformative technology to the market. “The investment represents a significant expansion of our fleet, giving contractors greater access to high-performance and versatile lighting that’s capable of meeting the varied demands of live sites.” Alessandro Rossi, Managing Director at Generac, said: “We’ve worked closely with Speedy to develop this new-to-market specification of lighting tower. They are a great addition to our existing range of light and heavy-duty towers that are built around easy operation and durability. “By calling on Speedy’s contractor relationships and industry expertise, we’ve designed a new lighting tower that effectively meets both the day-to-day needs of site workers, and the overarching sustainability requirements of the industry.” For more information, visit: https://www.speedyservices.com/

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SPEEDY SUPPORTS SCOTTISH CONSTRUCTION WITH TWO NEW SERVICE CENTRES

Construction services provider Speedy has opened two new regional service centres in Scotland, strategically located on key arterial routes into Edinburgh and Aberdeen to help local contractors quickly access crucial equipment. The purpose-built 22,000 sq ft centre on West Edinburgh Business Park consolidates the hire provider’s smaller outlets previously located across the city. The move brings together its full hire fleet under one roof, which will help to reduce carbon emissions by providing equipment to customers in a single delivery. Similarly, the 13,200 sq ft Aberdeen centre on Denmore Industrial Estate is almost a third larger than the city’s two previous outlets combined. Extra space will allow the centres to accommodate customer training, with both offering an extensive range of courses including International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association (PASMA) training for safe working at height. Both locations offer tools, lifting equipment, plant, and powered access machinery, as well as providing site surveys to customers. The Edinburgh site is a specialist facility in the company’s 200-strong UK centre network for air conditioning solutions. The centre in Aberdeen specialises in lifting equipment to meet local demand from the offshore oil and gas industry. It will also provide fencing and crowd control to support the recovery of the region’s events industry. The two sites will employ 44 staff, with both set to make new hires over the next year to meet growing demand. Ryan McGurk, regional manager for Scotland at Speedy said: “The new sites in Edinburgh and Aberdeen occupy strategic locations in each city. This means we’re now much more accessible for customers at busy times, with arterial connections ensuring deliveries land with customers fast, and well within our four-hour delivery promise. “With the new base in Edinburgh, we’re well positioned to support contractors as they fulfil major housebuilding and infrastructure projects underway across the city region. “Likewise, our new Aberdeen centre will bring our lifting services back into the city to meet significant local demand from the large base of companies supporting offshore operations.” Speedy is the UK’s leading provider of tools, equipment and plant hire services to a wide range of customers in the construction, infrastructure and industrial markets, as well as to local trade and consumers. It operates from sites across the UK and Ireland, including 20 in Scotland.

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