Access, your flexible friend
June 1st 2006 UK Teupen dealer, Ranger Equipment, says versatile truck mounts that can literally access all areas are becoming increasingly popular amongst cleaning contractors When it comes to working at height, one of the first decisions normally taken by professional cleaning companies is which type of access platform is best suited to the task in hand.
With health and safety issues becoming ever more important in the workplace, so the use of well designed and engineered machinery to reach high level work has increased. This is particularly the case within public buildings where there are often large expanses of glass to be cleaned and where the use of ladders is totally inappropriate.
As more and more cleaning companies realise the many benefits of using access platforms, or mobile elevating work platforms (MEWP's) to give them their correct description, so the number of units being hired or purchased in this market sector is steadily increasing.
One type of MEWP that is proving particularly popular because of its ability to pass through standard doorways and negotiate steep inclines with ease is the track-mounted version.
Ranger Equipment of Chesterfield in Derbyshire has built its business around tracked access platforms and is enjoying great success in many market sectors where equipment is required for high level working, not the least being cleaning and maintenance.
Last year, Ranger was awarded the UK dealership by German manufacturer B. Teupen Maschinbau GmbH, the company credited with being the pioneer of access platforms mounted onto all-terrain tracked undercarriages back in 1986.
Teupen has now established an excellent reputation throughout Europe and is generally regarded as the premier manufacturer of this type of platform, currently with a 13 strong range of models offering maximum working heights from 12 to 50 m.
These models are proving attractive to both hirers and end users throughout the UK who often have to work at height in confined or tricky to reach sites. In fact the LEO23GT has a minimum clearance width of just 0.98 m – allowing it to pass through a standard doorway.
All Teupen platforms feature self-centring, telescopic boom sections which eliminate side-to-side movement at cage level for smooth, comfortable operation. In addition, the LEO23GT model also incorporates the company's patented corner mount cage system. This design allows the cage to be rotated through 180 degrees in a horizontal plane, making it easy for the operator to place the cage in the perfect work position.
The latest Teupen machine to be introduced into the UK by Ranger Equipment is the LEO30T, complete with a Mercedes 7.5 tonne Vario truck.
This truck configuration was chosen by the customer to enable the platform to be used either as a truck or selfpropelled track mounted unit for added operational versatility.
The LEO30T offers a working height of 30 m with up to 15.7 m of horizontal outreach and, in order to provide an extensive working envelope, the platform also features a self-centering teleboom with a 180 degree articulating jib and a similar angle rotating basket.
Powered by a Kubota 3-cylinder diesel engine developing 15.1 kW (20 hp) or an AC mains electric motor for indoor use, the 4200 kg machine has super-smooth 'fuzzy' controls which minimises the possibility of damage to glass by a heavy handed operator.
Being track mounted, the LEO30T has impressive cross-country ability with a fast travel speed of 3 km/h and a class leading ground bearing pressure of just 5.7 N/cm sq, allowing it to cope with soft ground conditions with ease, as well as being ideal for use on internal floors using optional non-marking tracks if necessary.
Ranger Equipment is developing its business in conjunction with carefully selected 'rental partners' which, by offering a selection of platforms for sale or hire, are able to demonstrate to end-users the potential time and cost savings available by using Teupen equipment in a wide variety of situations. More articles from The Spiderlift Company: | 
