Independent U.K. hire company JMS Powered Access has made a significant investment in 17 Snorkel lithium-ion-powered rough-terrain scissor lifts.
Built at Snorkel’s Vigo Centre facility in Washington, Tyne & Wear, U.K., and delivered throughout March, JMS Powered Access ordered eight Snorkel S2755RTE narrow rough-terrain scissor lifts, four Snorkel S3370RTE and five Snorkel S3970RTE compact rough-terrain scissor lifts. This is one of the largest single orders for Snorkel’s range of zero-emission, four-wheel-drive scissor lifts by an independent hire company in the U.K. to date.
Founded in 1994 by Mark Jackson and Justin Lynn, JMS started out in Jackson’s garage, serving the mechanical and electrical industry with pipe threaders and welders. After outgrowing its first commercial property, JMS moved to a location in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, in 2001, and began hiring their own aluminum towers in 2004, adding low-level access equipment in 2008. In 2017, the mechanical tool business was sold to MEP Hire Station, and Jackson and Lynn continued to grow the powered access division under the JMS Powered Access brand. The company now has four depots in Harpenden, Radlett, Dartford and Leeds, serving the North and South of England, and operates a fleet of 2,100 machines, ranging from low-level access, scissor lifts and spider lifts, to 185-foot boom lifts.
One of the issues JMS feels strongly about is women in business, and they’re trying to attract more women to the industry. One of their own truck drivers is named Jodi Smith, and she’s been driving trucks since 2016. Smith is a well-known figure in the driving world with her bright pink cab and advocacy for female truck drivers. In an interview with Trucking magazine, she said, “Lorry driving isn’t a man’s job — I can do this job with a full set of acrylics! It’s quite physical, but it’s not hard.” She encourages both women and young people to consider the profession as a career option.
Snorkel and JMS commit to lowering emissions
This order of Snorkel equipment illustrates JMS’s commitment to sustainable construction practices. The S2755RTE, S3370RTE and S3970RTE offer rugged four-wheel drive capabilities with zero emissions, a milestone both Snorkel and JMS can take pride in. Lithium-ion batteries offer a host of benefits compared to internal combustion engines, including up to a 62-percent reduction in noise and reduced dust generation. Maintenance-free battery packs and an electric motor mean less downtime for maintenance, significant savings on fuel, and a lower overall cost of ownership.
“We’re really excited to be adding this equipment to our fleet and to be utilizing lithium-ion technology in our efforts toward sustainability,” said Jackson. “We’re also proud to be investing in British-built products and we appreciate the superior craftsmanship that Snorkel puts into its machines.”
“Many thanks to the team at JMS for this order,” said Andrew Fishburn, divisional managing director of Snorkel UK. “It’s great to see businesses like JMS investing in Snorkel lithium-ion machines. It’s our hope that more businesses will get on board once they realize that not only is lithium-ion good for the environment, it’s cost-effective as well.”
The S2755RTE rough-terrain scissor lift features a maximum working height of 10.1 meters in a narrow but rugged machine. The S3370RTE and S3970RTE are compact and maneuverable with maximum working heights of 12 meters and 13.8 meters respectively.
To learn more about Snorkel’s line of lithium-ion-powered lifts, visit snorkellifts.co.uk.
For more information on JMS Powered Access, please visit jms.co.uk.
