Executive Hire News › Archives › November 2008 › Executive Report : Lightening the load

Executive Report : Lightening the load

Sumner Manufacturing's comprehensive materials handling equipment range for the hire industry continues to develop.

Like many businesses, Sumner Manufacturing grew out of a contractor’s need for equipment to complete jobs faster and more effectively. In the mid 1960s, while working for a US mechanical contractor, Joe Sumner saw a requirement for purpose-built welding machinery and tools for installing pipework easily and safely. After successfully developing a range of products, he established his own company in Houston, Texas, which today offers welding tools, materials lifts, cable carts and related items in more than 40 countries.

Sumner UK was established in 2002, initially handling the whole range. However, four years later the welding products sales business was transferred to Specialist Welding Products of Alton, which imports directly from Sumner in America. “This enabled us to concentrate on manual handling and lifting equipment, for which the hire industry is our major market,” says Rupert Organ, the company’s European Sales & General Manager, who is based at Sumner UK’s Telford offices. “All products are designed to be robust, and simple to use and maintain. Being manually operated, there are no batteries or power supplies required. Health & Safety regulations are driving hire demand for this equipment, which also increases on-site productivity.”

The first Sumner materials handling product was the Roust-A-Bout lift. Still in production, models can lift 680kg to 4.6, 5.5 or 7.6m high. It enables loads to be placed in tight locations, originally having been developed to facilitate welding and subsequent positioning of pipework. Mast and base sections separate quickly for easy transportation. “Many Roust-A-Bouts were used on the Heathrow Terminal 5 project, and we expect them to be popular for 2012 Olympic Games works,” says Rupert Organ.

Other products include the Series 2000 material lifts, developed for handling steel beams and heavy items, featuring shorter mast sections for doorway access. Lighter in weight are the Series 2100 contractor lifts, which have a taller mast (up to 7.3m) with fewer sections. On both ranges, forks can be repositioned quickly for added height or work close to ceilings.

The Series 2300 drywall/panel lift is a three-piece modular lifting system, comprising base, mast and cradle sections, offering 3.5 and 4.5m height configurations by changing the mast, without re-cabling being required. Components are designed to stow into a car boot and can be kept together in a convenient cart, minimising losses and facilitating storage.

To be shown on Sumner UK’s stand at the Executive Hire Show 2009, on 11 and 12 February, is the 2412 compact material lift. It is essentially a smaller 2100 contractor lift, being two-thirds the size and with a 180kg capacity, and is easier to transport. Of one-piece construction, it is targeted at HVAC and electrical contractors, steel erectors and maintenance personnel. Also displayed will be the new EL-405 stacker lift, an 180kg-capacity unit designed for lifting and moving tasks in workshops and warehouses, unloading shelves or vehicles, or even as an adjustable work platform.

There will be a taster selection of forthcoming materials handling and cabling carts. These include the Mac Rack II, a mobile job site storage trolley that has a 455kg capacity, incorporates a handy tray and can be stacked when not in use. Also on show will be the Caddy Mac, which resembles a sack trolley but accommodates cable spools on integral spindles. Wire is dispensed with the cart laid flat, and the spindles can be adjusted to accept larger drums.

“We exhibited at this year’s Show and it was excellent,” says Rupert Organ. “We came away with a considerable number of leads that we converted into new accounts. It represents an excellent ‘shop window’ for suppliers, and enables us to meet many different hirers.”

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