High-Tech Property Maintenance

Challenge

Construction and maintenance company Hi-Tech Property Services, in Fareham, Hants, had developed a strong reputation maintaining and refurbishing commercial properties in the south and south west of England.

It has a strong presence in the hospitality sector where speed and minimal disruption are KPIs when working on restaurants and pubs that must maintain cashflow and reputation.

It was keen to expand and reduce its costs, especially in the use of scaffolding, which is commonly used for working at high level and on roofs when repairing or refurbishing pubs.

Company owner Stuart Whitehouse had extensive experience of hiring MEWPs, including tracked spider platforms, to carry out work on his projects. Therefore, he looked at investing in his own spider lift.

Solution

After considering a range of options, Stuart chose to buy a bi-energy Hinowa Lightlift 15.70 Performance IIIS tracked cherry picker from Access Platform Sales (APS).

It has a diesel engine plus the option of cabled 110v mains electric power for working indoors or in other zero emissions and low noise environments.

Its maximum working height of 15.4m and maximum outreach of 6.6m makes the tracked MEWP ideal for working over the low-level conservatories and extensions often added to restaurants and pubs.

With a tracking width of just 780mm, the Hinowa LL 15.70 can be moved through narrow gaps into, for example, pub gardens. In fact, Stuart says, in one case, they tracked the platform through a pub bar to reach a worksite.

Weighing just 1,950kg, the Hinowa LL 15.70 has excellence performance across low load bearing surfaces, such as paved outdoor dining areas and can be quickly set up in pub gardens using protective matting.

The spider cherry picker has an unrestricted basket capacity of 230kg – enough for two operatives or one operative plus tools and materials.

It has a suite of safety and productivity features, including one button platform leveling and stowing, for quick and confident operation. Also, it can be transported on a lightweight trailer towed by a van, a 4x4 car, or a pick-up using a standard car driving licence.

Outcome

After little more than a year, the Hinowa spider cherry picker has had a major impact on the business, with new orders won and the company now expanding into delivering more roof maintenance and repair work.

Stuart said: “The benefits of having the Hinowa platform have been phenomenal. It’s helping us reduce costs, it’s impressing our customers and it’s winning us new business.

“The platform has paid for itself at least twice over in the first year alone and, given the opportunities to win more roofing and building inspection work, its benefits for to our business can only grow.”

For many projects, operatives no longer have to scaffold buildings. Instead they use the Hinowa LL 15.70 to inspect hard-to-reach areas and carry out repairs.

Stuart said: “Our customers appreciate it, because we can do the jobs much more quickly without any unsightly scaffolding. Often, we can complete a repair in a day or two rather than months.

“Also the work can be done by a team of two people not four or more, as is needed with a scaffolded project. It’s certainly opened up a lot of new possibilities.”