Electrical contractor, Styles and Wood, is making extensive use of mast booms hired from Nationwide Access to complete the electrical installation at the new 20,400-square metre Debenhams store, part of the massive redevelopment of Birmingham's Bull Ring. The company is using HM10 mast booms to provide high-level access to wiring and lighting over the store's open central staircase.

The HM10 was chosen from Nationwide's fleet of more than 6,000 powered access machines because, while it provides the electrical contractor's site installation team with the essential height and outreach, the machine's weight does not exceed the store's floor loading. The HM10 provides the contractor with a ten-metre working height and a three-metre outreach, and weighs just 4.2 tonnes.

Being electric powered, the machine is ideal for use inside buildings, where diesel exhaust emissions would be wholly unacceptable. It is also small enough - its closed width is just 0.81 metres - to fit into the store's goods lift. The platform measures 1.02 metres by 0.79 metres, more than ample space for an electrician, his tools and the light fittings.

The machines for the Debenhams' project were hired from one of Nationwide's 50 depots that are strategically located throughout the country. The company is the UK's leading powered access rental business with a hire fleet more than twice the size of its nearest competitor.

Nationwide is part of the publicly quoted Lavendon Group Plc and is headquartered in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, and 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