The History of Access Platform Sales

From its early beginnings in 1987, Access Platform Sales has grown to become the UK’s largest independent supplier of access platforms and material handling equipment

We’re proud to represent some of the world’s best manufacturers, and through a rare mix of expertise and impartiality we’ve helped hundreds of satisfied customers work safer and smarter at height.

1987

Access Platform Sales opens for business

Jim Daintith joins forces with Malcolm Brown, owner of access rental company Height for Hire, to set up a powered access dealership. They negotiate a regional distributorship for Genie personnel lifts and Niftylift trailer-mounted booms, along with Stothert & Pitt scissor lifts. In May 1987, Access Platform Sales (APS) is born in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Jim Daintith

Jim Daintith

1990

Expands territory, adding JLG & Skyjack to the product range

Business is booming, so Jim and Malcolm negotiate a larger territory with both Genie and Niftylift. In 1991 they take on more staff, laying the foundations for its next growth phase. Throughout the 90s, the company continues to expand. It becomes a regional dealer for JLG, then the sole UK distributor for Skyjack.

Top, L to R: Steve Sharp, Dean Holloway, Zoe Law & Alan Russon. Bottom, L to R: Lee Louder & Jim Daintith. Circa 1994

Top, L to R: Steve Sharp, Dean Holloway, Zoe Law & Alan Russon. Bottom, L to R: Lee Louder & Jim Daintith. Circa 1994

2001

US Manufacturer Snorkel appoints Access Platform Sales as its exclusive UK dealer for Snorkel booms and scissors

2005

APS enters the tracked boom market by becoming the UK distributor for Danish crawler-mounted manufacturer Omme Lift

2007

APS becomes UK distributor for Hinowa tracked booms

2007 sees the start of our close relationship with innovative Italian spider lift manufacturer Hinowa, allowing us to expand our offering with high performing, compact and lightweight tracked booms.

2007

Partnership with IPS begins with UPAS UK joint venture

Tanfield Group Plc, owner of the UpRight brand of access platforms, acquires US-based Snorkel. This means it had two UK dealers: IPS, the UK dealer for UpRight, led by Tony Jennings and Kevin Shadbolt, and Snorkel dealer Access Platform Sales.

Rather than choose between them, Tanfield asked the two companies to work together. In September 2007, they formed a joint venture, UpRight Powered Access Sales UK.

In 2012, a chance remark by Access Platform Sales owner Jim Daintith while on a fishing trip with Tony Jennings changed the course of both men’s lives. It leads to the creation of IAPS Group, bringing together APS’s new and used equipment distribution with IPS’s replacement parts and mobile service engineer business. The merger gives the new company significant scope and scale.

L to R: Tony Jennings with Jonathan Till, Managing Director of GT Access & Jim Daintith

L to R: Tony Jennings with Jonathan Till, Managing Director of GT Access & Jim Daintith

2009

Enters low-level access market as Youngman BoSS dealer

2011

Access Platform Sales is confirmed as one of five official Genie distributors in UK

2013

Formal merger with IPS to form IAPS Group

In 2012, a chance remark while on a fishing trip with Tony Jennings changed the course of both men’s lives. As a result, IAPS Group was created to bring together Access Platform Sales new and used equipment distribution with IPS’ award-winning replacement parts business and mobile service engineer fleet, it gave the new company significant scope and scale.

L to R: Richard Tindale, Jim Daintith, Tony Jennings and Kevin Shadbolt

L to R: Richard Tindale, Jim Daintith, Tony Jennings and Kevin Shadbolt

2013

APS enters vehicle-mounted boom market as UK dealer for Italian manufacturer Isoli

2014

APS takes on UK distributorship for US-based Ultra-Deck scissor lift and Titan boom manufacturer MEC

2014

New Managing Director for IAPS Group

Steve Couling joins IAPS as group Managing Director, enabling Tony Jennings and Jim Daintith to take a step back from the day-to-day operations, and to drive the business forward through the next stage of its development.

Access Platform Sales is named as one of Genie’s key partners after nearly 30 years of selling its product range.

Steve Couling

Steve Couling

2015

Awarded official Genie distributor status

Access Platform Sales is proud to be named as one of Genie’s key partners after nearly 30 years of selling its product range. As a full service distributor, Genie customers in the UK can have complete confidence, and expect a first-rate service from our expert team of Genie qualified personnel.

2015

APS expands into van mounted booms, complementing its existing range by becoming a UK dealership for British manufacturer Aldercote

2017

APS is appointed UK distributor for Socage, an Italian truck-mounted boom lift manufacturer

2017

30 years in business

APS marks 30 years in business by launching a new website to fully showcase its many productive relationships with some of the world’s biggest access platform brands. Business is booming with record sales.

2018

Hinowa Lightlift 33.17 Performance IIIS launched

APS is delighted to help Hinowa launch its exciting new Lightlift 33.17 spider platform. Delivering 33m of working height and 17m of reach, it becomes the largest platform in the Performance range and can be supplied with all-electric or hybrid lithium battery power.

2019

Linda Betts joins us as Key Account Manager

Highly experienced access platform sales professional Linda Betts joins the APS sales team. Linda brings huge knowledge and drive to APS, helping us strengthen relationships with valued customers and bring new ones to the business.

2019

APS founder Jim Daintith retires

Jim Daintith, co-founder of APS, retired from the access industry after more than 30 years. Gentleman Jim, as he become known in the industry, bows out by delivering two new platforms to long-standing customer Warren Access.

2020

APS is appointed distributor for UK & Ireland for LGMG

LGMG selects APS to lead its entry into the UK and Ireland access platform market, with great success. Chinese manufacturer LGMG’s brand of excellent build quality, smart design and high performance proved very popular with APS customers.

2021

Kevin Shadbolt joins the APS team as Operations Director overseeing the day to day operations of the business

Why Choose Us?

Large selection of new & Approved Used access platforms held in stock from leading manufacturers

Over 30 years experience selling and supporting owners and operators of access platforms

We've helped hundreds of satisfied customers work safer and smarter at height

We'll continue to support you and your equipment with technical advice, after-sales care and training