Sky high

On the EH Hassell stand, sales director Phil Hodges said: "We come every year to SED and fly our flag. It doesn't actually matter that it's not a Cranes Show this year. We believe that only makes us stand out more." Certainly the Sennebogen 640 HD lattice boom crawler crane with its 2.4m hydraulically elevating F2000 cab was among the tallest exhibits in the show. "As you can see, we're busy on the stand and we're busy most of the time talking to interested people - some of whom we'll convert to customers. That's the key," said Hodges.

Similar comments came from marketing manager Francine Shore on the Genie UK stand. She said: "SED is very important in our calendar and we attend every year regardless. It's an opportunity for us to talk to up-and-coming smaller companies and we can often make sales on the stand." It was the first European showing of the TZ-34/20 trailer-mounted articulating boom and Shore said: "It had a lot of good reaction and we took some orders at the show." It also sold a number of scissor lifts and a Z80/60 to the Platform Company. Shore said the telehandlers were very well received and visitors were surprised at how compact they are.

On the Versalift stand, marketing manager Richard Tindale was equally positive. He said: "We've got our newest kit on show here (the LT69NF 23m plus fly unit and the Vauxhall Vivaro-mounted 9m ET26NEXS) and we've had a serious enquiry already. That's the value of a show like SED, we aren't having to search for customers, they're attending the show and finding us."

Trevor Vanson, a long-time supporter of SED and on the Vanson Cranes stand, said: "We've been preaching our portable tower crane gospel for many years now, it's not easy, but we remain convinced that our message is getting through to a wider audience. As project margins get thinner, our case becomes stronger. We won't sell a machine off the stand but we'll plant a few seeds and then take them through to germination."

Airbourne Platforms is a new name to SED as it has not been established long. It exhibited Italian-made Bizzochi van and truck-mounted platforms (working heights from 10m to 55m). Managing director Keith Hunwick said: "We've established a firm base over the past nine months in the North East and we're using the show to help us spread our operations into the Midland and in the south of the country. We have five service centres throughout the country to provide back up. Reaction to the product has been very positive. We've got good levels of interest and we'll be busy writing quotes once we get back to the office."

Brian Wiggins, export sales manager for SEV Aerial Access, talked to a lot of visitors. He said: "We come every year to SED and it's an important part of our marketing effort. There has been a good positive response to both our Iteco scissor range and the trailer mounted platforms, and we've had some first-class leads on both. We're targeting end-users and it's working well here."

Facelift managing director Gordon Leicester is pragmatic when it comes to doing business and he was forthright when quizzed about the show. "We aren't targeting just hirers here, we're targeting outright sales too. It's a fast-growing part of our operations and this show helps us to focus our efforts on it. There's a good flow of visitors here and it's down to us to capitalise on their needs," he said. One example was the 17m crawler mounted Niftylift platform that Leicester said was attracting a lot of interest from end-users such as tree surgeons.

Spierings Cranes' computer-controlled folding and unfolding towering jibs proved a hit with visitors and a new name on its stand notice board probably meant a sale at SED, although it was impossible to pin anyone down to confirm how successful the show was for the company.

Upright is a name familiar to SED visitors and marketing director Pam Penny was on hand to explain the firm's performance. "We had a bad period during our Chapter 11 stage [protection from creditors in the US], but we're out of that now and thriving. We've got our big production plant in Madera plus our new facility in Dublin and we're busy putting new models into our production programmes there. We've launched our new AB38 Bi-Energy (electric and diesel) at SED as the UK industry asked for that particular model."

At the show there were ramps to demonstrate the 35% gradability. "Reaction was very good and we gave quotes at the show," said Shaw, adding: "Visitors also liked our painted aluminium towers that give easy recognition, which are especially helpful for brand recognition inventory control."

Making its UK debut at SED was Oil & Steel UK, with its Italian-built units and the newly-launched trailer-mounted Octopussy proving the big visitor draw. General export manager Simone Scalabrini said: "It's been a good show for us to kickstart our UK efforts. We've made lots of new contacts and we're sure sales will ensue."

The new Wumag 35m WT350 drew visitors to the SkyKing stand and Jim Longstaff was more than happy. "It's fair weather, there's crowds of visitors and we're getting our fair share of them." The WT350 is a joint venture between SkyKing and Wumag. Built in Germany on a chassis of the customer's choice, the unit is said to have the longest height and reach capability in its class. Mounted on a 12t chassis, the platform has an outreach to 26m and up to 29m when fitted on a 14t vehicle. "The big Wumag draws them in and we can then show them our smaller van- and truck-mounted units," said Longstaff.

Part of the fun at SED are the competitions that allow visitors to test their operating skills. On the Partek/Cargotec stand those brave enough could try operating a HIAB truckloader crane over a set course in the HIAB/Vertikal Press Challenge. The fastest won a £100 plus an engraved trophy from SED organisers Reed Business Information each day. On Thursday the handy ton (plus trophy) was heading towards Kevin Findlay from Gatwick Plant (two minutes and nine seconds - 29 seconds ahead of second place).

Partek/Cargotec marketing manager Ismo Leppannen said: "We've had 40-plus operators taking our challenge each day and it's been a great exercise for us. We've demonstrated the safety benefits and speed of radio-operated remote-control units and we believe they will gain rapid acceptance in the UK where remote operation is still in its infancy. We've also shown our kit to lots of truck operators and we believe we've opened their eyes to future possibilities."

Layer sales and marketing manager Sean Pike was contemplating his post-SED options when we talked to him beneath the stage and seating structure his company had built for the show. He felt the first day was quieter but overall it was well worth exhibiting - especially as the Health & Safety Executive was taking an interest in the Layer Allround modular scaffolding. "It has an advanced guard rail systems that can do away with the need under SC4 for scaffolders to wear safety harnesses," said Pike.

CTE UK's Brian King struck a bit of a sour note, opining that traffic was a major drawback to entering and leaving the show. But he admitted that the company had received a good deal of interest in its display of truck and van-mounted platforms. n