Riwal invests in 'specials'

Netherlands rental company Riwal will invest around €35 million in new aerial platforms this year and is concentrating on large and special machines.

Dick Schalekamp, Riwal's chief executive officer, told AI that the company will add over 100 JLG Ultra booms to its fleets this year as well as 20 of MEC Aerial Platform's big Titan models and four of Holland lift's 32 metre Megastar G-320DL30.

One of the four Magastar's will be electrically powered - the first time the company has supplied a battery version of the massive scissor. This will allow the scissor to be used in areas where diesel engine emissions create a problem.

One of the first of the Titan models to be delivered was shown by MEC at the recent ELEVArte exhibition in Madrid. MEC said the Titan Boom 40-S combines the capacity of a telehandler, the deck of a scissor lift and the reach and rotation of a telescopic boom. The unit features a 1800 kg capacity and 12.2 m platform height.

The investment by Riwal is considerably less than it has spent in recent years when it was rapidly expanding its fleet. The €35 million is being used to change the mix of machines and to invest in areas where demand is greatest.