The first lithium rough terrain LGMG telescopic booms to be delivered into the European market will be supplied by Access Platform Sales to Briggs Equipment Ireland Ltd. Briggs Equipment is taking platforms across the new all-electric telescopic boom lift range to assess their capabilities and performance against current equivalent diesel machines, with the strong expectation of placing further orders. APS, the UK and Ireland distributor for LGMG, is due to deliver the platforms, launched in July 2022, in the autumn. Briggs Equipment is an engineering and equipment provider with operations in Ireland and the UK. Its powered access rental operation has a combined fleet of more than 2,500 platforms. Martin Masterson, Short Term Hire Manager at the company, said: “At Briggs Equipment, we’re committed to transitioning to more sustainable options in powered access. “Our experience is that our customers want to join us on this journey, and we want to work with partners that are better positioned help us make it a success. “LGMG is the only supplier that can provide us with lithium RT booms we require for our fleet. Thanks our existing relationship with APS, the collaborative support it provides, and the success we’ve had with the LGMG platforms we already operate, we’ve decided to make this further investment in their lithium product range.” Briggs Equipment has selected three out of four of the new lithium telescopic boom models, with eight platforms ordered in the first tranche. They are the: LGMG T20JE – working height 21.8m, outreach 16.6m; LGMG T22JE – working height 23.8m, outreach 17m; LGMG T28JE – working height 29.8m, outreach 22.5m. The fourth platform in the range is the LGMG T26JE, with a working height of 27.9m and an outreach of 22.3m. Briggs Equipment has also placed orders for LGMG A14JE electric articulating boom lifts, which have a working height of 15.8m and an outreach of 7.81m. APS Northern Sales Director Shane Paver said: “We’re excited to supply the first of these platforms in Europe to Briggs Equipment. They represent the future or powered access for LGMG and for our industry. “Clearly, forward-thinking rental companies like Briggs Equipment, and their customers, are eager to embrace new technology, and current conditions in terms of high fuel costs, are reinforcing that thinking. “Being strongly placed to support innovative and sustainable choices in the access rental market is central to LGMG’s business strategy, which is why APS can fulfil these orders in a timely way.” A key reason Briggs Equipment has selected the LGMG boom lifts is the way they fill important niches in working height levels that complement standard industry working heights, creating more flexible rental options. However, it is the switch from thermal engine to electric power that is the key consideration, said Martin Masterson. “Being able to offer lithium powered rough terrain boom lifts allows our customers to streamline their onsite fleets and increase utilisation rates by using the same platforms for internal and external work,” he added. “We’ll be able to give our customers more innovative choices as they implement their own strategies to become more sustainable, low carbon businesses, at a time when ever stricter environmental regulations are becoming the norm. “Also, with increasing diesel fuel prices, the rental costs of diesel and electric platforms for our customers are beginning to equalise, which is bringing down barriers to moving to using electric MEWPs.” The new LGMG boom lifts are powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that allows the platforms to operate for two to three days at typical usage rates between charges. Each has a variety of standard charging modes that allows regular and fast charging. All models are dual capacity – 300kg unrestricted and 450kg with restricted outreach – with 3600 platform slewing. The boom lifts have 2.4m wide, triple entry baskets, four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer, with one touch wheel alignment, and oscillating axles. Platform weights range from 12 tonnes for the LGMG T20JE to 18.7 tonnes for the LGMG T28JE. www.accessplatforms.co.uk