The country's market leading supplier of powered access equipment, Nationwide, is more than twice the size of its nearest competitor and commands a fleet of around 6,000 units. The company is owned by Lavendon plc, which also operates in the Middle East and across Europe in Germany, France, Spain, and Austria, trading under the name Zooom. A recently published league table confirms the group to be the largest powered access company in Europe and the sixth largest in the world.

The UK fleet operates out of over 50 depots spread throughout the country, supplying self-propelled booms, scissor lifts and over 166 truck-mounted booms in the company's Skylift range.

With currently more than 60 different self-propelled booms to choose from, these highly versatile, multi task units are in daily demand, tackling access challenges in just about every conceivable industrial and business sector. In addition to providing the essential vertical lift, they also offer considerable outreach, which enables the boom's work platform to stretch over obstacles, gaining easy access to areas that would be inaccessible to equipment where the operation is limited to vertical movement.

Nationwide's current line-up includes both telescopic and articulated machines, with diesel, electric and bi-powered options being available. Units range from models with a width of just 0.81-metres - that come into their own where access or working space is restricted - with a working height of 8.1-metres and an outreach of 2.6-metres, up to the industry-leading 40-metre platform height and 24.4-metre outreach Genie S-125 boom. When the task requires below-ground reach, the Skyjack TK46 and the Skyjack TK66, the only stand-alone, telescopic knuckle booms, enable safe and stable work platforms to reach down to levels that are up to 11.28-metres below the unit.

Scissor lifts offer vertical elevation only, provide safe and reliable access platforms for working heights between six metres and 26-metres, with safe working load capacities of up to 1,000kg. Currently there are around 50 models on offer from Nationwide with a choice of diesel power, which is popular for external use, electric, for indoor use where emissions are unacceptable, and bi-powered models.

Many of Nationwide's machines incorporate special features, such as an exceptional turning radius, rollout deck platforms that extend the working area, self-levelling capabilities and four-wheel drive. All are operator controlled via a panel located on the work platform.

The company's Skylift offering includes Europe's highest truck mounted rotational boom with an astonishing working height of 72-metres and an outreach of more than 27.7-metres. It is part of a line-up that currently provides nearly two-dozen telescopic and articulating models from which to choose.

Truck mounted booms are able to move on and off site quickly and efficiently and be fully operational within minutes of arrival on site. The majority can rotate a full 360 degrees and are controlled via a console on the work platform. As with self-propelled booms, these truck-mounted counterparts enable the work platform to reach over obstacles. They are especially popular with local authorities, film and broadcasting companies.

Nationwide is confident that powered access will continue to become the preferred choice for when working in elevated positions, rather than conventional static methods. The company says that new market sectors are constantly opening up with industries such as media broadcasting and telecommunications, adopting powered access as the desired solution to their needs. To this end, the company is quoted as saying, it intends to continue to expand in order to present a comprehensive service that can live up to the standards customers demand.

The company has its headquarters in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, and all of its depots comply with Nationwide's ISO 9002 accreditation.

END

December 2001 Nat1.011a.

For further information please contact
your local Nationwide Access Depot on:

0845 745 0000

or e-mail sales@nationwideaccess.co.uk.