Skyking targets UK utilities with new lifts

Truck mounted specialist Skyking - part of King Highway Products - launched at SED two utility lifts, a 13 m working height articulated boom on a Land Rover, and a 13.5 m van mount with a GSR boom (first seen at last year's APEX).

The Land Rover AT136 unit, which uses a boom supplied by Spanish manufacturer Matilsa, has a maximum outreach of 6.5 m and a 200 kg basket capacity. The E140TJV has a 7.5 m outreach and 220 kg cage capacity.

Company managing director mark Carrington told AI, "What's clear is that the [contractors] next down from the Government have the money; that includes the utilities sector."

The Land Rover all terrain unit will compete head-on with similar products in the UK from Niftyilift (which has a boom mounted on an equivalent Santana carrier on its stand at SED) and Gardner Denver. "I think the utility market is looking for another competitor. It will work well with the vans to get us into the utility sector."

Mr Carrington said the King Group had the same value of orders as last year, but that the mix of products had changed radically. "Most is niche market, very engineering oriented. For all the standard, volume stuff, [we have] minimal orders. In a tight market, those companies that can apply engineering thinking to products come out on top."

Orders for small truck mounts were down, he said, although the order book for larger, Wumag vehicle mounts was still "strong". The company is also benefitting from orders for its road maintenance-related products, including crash cushions and electronic sign boards, as well as extendible transport trailers.