Platform Hire is First U.K. Hire Company to Add Snorkel’s Lithium-Ion RT Scissor Lifts to Rental Fleet

Droitwich-based Platform Hire has become the first U.K. hire company to add lithium-ion battery powered Snorkel S3970RTE zero-emission compact rough terrain scissor lifts to its fleet.

Built in the U.K. at Snorkel’s facility in Washington, Tyne and Wear, and utilizing British manufactured lithium-ion batteries, the first two Snorkel S3970RTE’s were recently delivered to Platform Hire and were immediately deployed in the company’s rental fleet. The decision to purchase the lifts was made after a successful demonstration in April by Snorkel UK area sales manager Scott Holtby and is the first part of a larger order.

The Snorkel S3970RTE is the largest model in a new range of lithium-ion battery powered compact rough terrain scissor lifts. Reaching a maximum working height of up to 13.8 meters, the S3970RTE has a platform capacity of 350 kg, and can be driven at full height. Measuring just 1.8 meters wide, this scissor lift can access confined spaces, yet features a spacious platform that can be extended up to 1.6 meters x 4.0 meters, and is available with non-marking, high-grip tires for indoor/outdoor use.

Powered by a 52V system incorporating two 5.75kWh lithium-ion batteries with integrated battery management systems, the S3970RTE is completely zero emission, yet delivers improved rough terrain performance compared to the diesel equivalent, the company says, thanks to additional power and torque via an AC electric motor and four-wheel drive hydraulic transmission.

A high frequency 50A on-board smart charger enables the lift to be fully recharged in up to eight hours, but also allows for top-up charging such as during a break or shift changes. Depending on the application and usage, the S3970RTE can complete a full day’s work on a single charge, and in some cases up to a full week. For heavier duty cycles or projects that require long-distance driving, the lift can be optioned with an additional 5.75kWh battery.

With more than 13 years of experience, Platform Hire is a leading specialist provider of mobile elevating work platforms, offering rentals, sales, training and more to its customer base. With its head office in Droitwich in the West Midlands and coverage provided nationally, Platform Hire also operates Platform Hire Racing in the British Superbikes championship, and provides aerial equipment to many race tracks around the U.K.

On the decision to be the first U.K. hire company to add Snorkel lithium-ion powered compact rough terrain scissor lifts to its fleet, Dave Williams, managing director of Platform Hire, said, “I would like to thank Scott Holtby for working together with us on this project and enabling Platform Hire to be the first company in the country to offer these market-leading machines. The focus on reducing emissions and achieving net zero targets is increasing across the U.K., and we are seeing more large construction contractors discussing the need for zero and low emission equipment solutions. As a specialist in aerial equipment, we continuously monitor product developments and have been evaluating the new zero emission models for some time.

“We were impressed by the quality and reliability of the Snorkel lithium-ion battery solution during our trials. The fact that our customers can meet both emissions and noise regulations with a powerful rough terrain unit, without any compromise in performance when compared to a diesel unit is a real winner. Additionally, when we calculated the savings in maintenance and fuel, even with a higher upfront purchase price, the return on investment is very attractive and we expect to see these units become very popular with our customers.”

Andrew Fishburn, managing director, Snorkel UK, said, “We are delighted to deliver the first two units to Platform Hire, and thank them for taking this first step in bringing this technology to British jobsites. We know that the demand from the larger contractors already exists, and as the products become more widely available, this demand will grow across all types of aerial equipment users.”

Platform Hire are already receiving positive feedback from their customers on the new Snorkel S3970RTE’s. One of their first hires was to an existing customer for heating and air conditioning installation, who said, “The Snorkel S3970RTE was offered to us instead of our usual machines to try out and we were extremely impressed. It meant only hiring the one machine for jobs where we would usually have a diesel machine for outside and a smaller electric machine for inside. After two 12-hour shifts the battery indicated it still had 46 percent charge left! We have already hired it again since and will be requesting this machine moving forward.”

For more information on Platform Hire, please visit www.platformhire.co.uk, and for more on Snorkel and its range of lithium-ion powered products, please visit www.snorkellifts.co.uk.