Turning pigeons into migratory birds...
The P 280 B truck access platform from PALFINGER is also a popular rental for short-term and special jobs.
Picture the scene: In a very narrow street in the center of Nuremberg, a transporter is “jacked up” in front of a tall building. But thanks to the narrow support configuration, traffic can continue to flow.
Some passers-by glance up at the building’s gable a good 20 meters above the ground, where two specialists are hard at work installing anti-bird spikes on behalf of the property owner.
The key protagonists here are Danilo Bischoff, a pest controller certified by the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) and who works for I.H.D. Dienstleistungen KG, the lessor of the access platform Peter Billmeier and, of course, the P 280 B truck access platform from PALFINGER.
“Our job up there is to turn pigeons into ‘migratory birds,’” jokes Bischoff, as he extends the stabilizers of the access platform mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. He is soon ready for action and loads the workman basket with the necessary equipment, climbs in and taps a series of buttons on the basket control panel. The expert knows that he can perform his work safely and efficiently with the aid of this PALFINGER lift, which was only recently added to the rental fleet of the longstanding access platform rental company Billmeier.
The giant from the Light class
It’s not only bird control specialists but also roofers, arborists, electrical contractors as well as manufacturers and installers of sun protection systems and shades that have already recognized the benefits of the P 280 B truck access platform in their daily work.
Rental pro Peter Billmeier, too, is impressed by the many benefits of the equipment such as its low weight, good reach and working height as well as its outstanding performance and stability. It is also important for his business that the low-maintenance P 280 B, as one of the highest truck platforms in the 3.5-tonne class, meets the expectations of even his most demanding customers when it comes to operation and comfort.
Thanks to a working height of up to 27.6 meters and a horizontal reach of up to 17 meters with a loaded basket, this compact and highly maneuverable model from the Light class of PALFINGER access platforms with an aluminum telescopic system is ideal for a wide range of tasks in urban areas. Its stable lateral outreach enables it to work over the top of parked vehicles. The position of the rotating tower allows slewing within the vehicle contour, meaning that it can also be deployed in confined spaces.
The aluminum telescopes are light but extremely rigid, even under load. Their thick-walled design means that the telescopic booms are highly resistant to impacts such as collisions or falling branches.
And what’s more, the lightweight design ensures that the vehicle’s gross weight remains under 3.5 tonnes – and that’s including the driver, a passenger and a full tank of fuel. This, in turn, means that operators need only a class 3/B license in order to drive the vehicle.
In densely packed residential areas and along narrow city roads, the three stabilizer configurations are a real boon: narrow, wide and one-sided broad positioning of the stabilizers as well as automatic release of the associated working range.
Added to this are a range of additional user-friendly features such as automatic support stabilization with wheel clearance monitoring and reach optimization thanks to monitoring of the stabilizer position and set-up angle. Where irregularities are detected, a signal will sound and the operator can respond accordingly. To enhance safety, the vehicle comes with additional equipment for emergency operation.
Operating the platform with the proportional controller enables highly sensitive control, with no jerking during raising and lowering. The basket can be slewed through 2 x 90 degrees, meaning that it can be positioned, if necessary, at right angles to the boom.
The PALFINGER trio
In addition to the recently acquired 28-meter lift, the rental fleet available from access platform rental company Billmeier, which comprises around 35 pieces of equipment, now includes two more PALFINGER access platforms with maximum working heights of 21 meters and 25 meters. This equipment is especially popular with customers who perform their work in urban areas. The rental period is flexible and, depending on requirements, ranges from one hour (enough for dealing with, say, a hole made by a woodpecker) to an entire week (complex tree care work, for example).
The access platform operators receive theory and practical lessons from the rental team. If a technical problem occurs during the rental, the company’s own, specially equipped service vehicle with expert personnel is on hand.
Billmeier offers access platforms not only for hire but also for sale as new or used machinery. The company’s portfolio is rounded off by a comprehensive service offering covering every aspect of the lifts and their applications.
The rental specialist enjoys excellent relations with its regular customers in the Nuremberg area, Bavaria and throughout Germany. In the words of the managing director: “We have a lot of good, loyal customers for whom we provide the platforms, if possible, whenever they need them. They also know they can always depend on us, even if they are working in a location that is outside our sphere of activity.” As a member of the Partner-LIFT cooperative association, which has representatives in, among other places, Germany, Poland, Switzerland and Ireland, the Nuremberg-based rental company is normally able to provide the right equipment at the right place and at the right time.
Nicole Häring, who is responsible in the company for scheduling, delivery and collection of the lifts, states that the equipment undergoes a technical check, is test-driven and, especially now during the coronavirus pandemic, is thoroughly disinfected on its return from every rental. This ensures that the machinery is fully functional and virus-free as it waits for the next customer.
One thing is certain: If demand for another truck access platform arises again in the near future, PALFINGER machinery would again be high on the Nuremberg-based rental company’s shortlist of potential candidates.
Why PALFINGER? Billmeier: “I was delighted with all the models we’ve had in the past, so I know from personal experience that they are of high quality as well as extremely stable, reliable and durable. We have since cultivated excellent relations with the manufacturer, so we can be sure that we have knowledgeable contacts for servicing activities as well as for any questions that might arise.”
