AFI group of companies, one of the UK’s leading powered access specialists, has invested significantly to replace their powered access fleet towards more specialist hybrid or electric equipment to keep up with market demand and comply with increasingly strict emissions regulations.
Approximately 64% of AFI’s mobile elevating working platform (MEWP) hire fleet is now electric or hybrid and the low emissions make them ideal for use on restricted sites, in low emission zones, specialist applications and indoor work.
AFI’s MEWP hire fleet includes a full range of electric and diesel-powered articulated and telescopic boom lifts. Due to increasing pressures on governments to improve local air quality and reduce noise pollution, we are seeing more low emission zones, noise limits and workplace regulations. Recent technological advancements made electrification and hybridisation more suitable for a wider range of AFI customers. Zero emission or low-emission MEWPs are much better suited for operation in emission-sensitive environments; inside buildings, shopping centres, hotels, hospitals, airports and schools. They are also widely used in factories and industrial facilities, for maintenance work, and inspections, building asset management and both planned and preventative building maintenance.
AFI’s national delivery fleet is Ultra Low Emission Zone Ready and Euro 6 compliant, not just in Central London (where the ULEZ scheme is operating) and AFI-Uplift’s entire van fleet servicing powered access customers across the UK became compliant in September. Over recent years AFI has invested heavily in a rolling programme to provide their own inhouse transport fleet so that they can take full responsibility and control of every aspect of the delivery process for their powered access fleet. The efficiency of the fleet has been increased by strategically locating the vehicles throughout their UK depot network to ensure that the MEWPs are delivered to customers quickly and collected promptly.
