Nationwide Access has supplied Planned Storage Systems with a number of scissor lifts from its powered access hire fleet to help in the construction of the new distribution centre in Huddersfield for womenswear retailer, Bon Marché. Swindon-based Planned Storage Systems, the country's leading independent manufacturer of pallet racking and storage solutions, was responsible for supplying all of the centre's high-density racking and mezzanine floors.

Nationwide supplied a total of 13 scissor lifts from its Huddersfield, Sheffield, Derby and Leeds depots. These included the bi-powered diesel/electric 14.5-metre working height LX41 and two electric powered machines, the 11.75-metre working height X32 and the 10-metre working height X26.

Scissor lifts were chosen over other types of powered access equipment because access space was extremely limited throughout the site, and the access need was limited to vertical elevation. In common with all of Nationwide's scissor lifts, those used by Planned Storage Systems on the Bon Marché project are operator controlled via a panel located on the work platform. This ensures fingertip control of the lift's elevation to provide the best possible working position.

A number of factors were cited as leading to the decision to select these particular Nationwide models. Being electric powered, they could be used inside the building where diesel emissions are obviously unacceptable, and their narrow width - both the X32 and the X26 are just 1.22 metres wide - meant that they could easily navigate the narrow aisles in the distribution centre. Other reasons included the scissor lifts' ample platform dimensions and safe working loads, which gave Planned Storage Systems' installation specialists easy, safe and efficient access - with their tools - to all working areas.

Nationwide has the country's largest powered access hire fleet that today runs to more than 6,000 machines, available from a countrywide network of 50 depots. Scissor lift options are available that provide working heights between 6.4 metres and 28.3 metres, with safe working load capacities of up to 1,000kg. The company also runs fast-track one to three day training schemes that are recognised by both the CITB [Construction Industry Training Board] and the IPAF [International Powered Access Federation].

Nationwide is part of the publicly quoted Lavendon Group Plc and is headquartered in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. The Group is European market leader in the powered access rental market, trading under the name Zooom in Germany, France, Spain and Austria. Full details on the Nationwide offering of booms, scissor lifts and truck mounted units can be found at www.nationwideaccess.com