GIS shows promise

After a slow start on Thursday 9 September, the GIS lifting and specialised transport show held in Piacenza, Italy enjoyed a steady flow of visitors and excellent attendance at the connected conferences.

A number of the Italian access manufacturers commented on the effectiveness of a smaller specialised show. Gianpetro Marti of Bluelift who was keen to demonstrate the company's latest 22 m spider said, "The smaller specialised exhibitions are better for us, we are able to spend a lot of time with potential customers and they can try-out the machines. GIS is good for us it provides the complete package."

Socage was showing a number of machines including a TJJ70 which had just been sold to large Italian lifting contractor Vernazza. Socage's owner Fiorenzo Flisi said he was happy at the pace the company was developing both in terms of new products and attracting dealers.

Among other truck mounts, Cela, which is a sister company to Socage was demonstrating the ultra-smooth controls developed for its firefighting range of machines on a 15 m truck mount. Easylift was showing both its new 21 m telescopic truck mount and the 21 m spider of which 6 have already been sold : four in Italy and one each into France and the UK.

Enrico Fracca, export manager at Hinowa said that the recession had given the company time to develop its new series of machines and that the company had been touring the IIIS concept around Europe to introduce the new technologies and improvements to customers and potential customers.

The IIIs Concept has made the spiders easier to use with quick self- stabilisation, remote control, less maintenance due to design improvements such as grease free pins and shorter sectional cables. New rubber crawlers generate less ground impact.

Hinowa has worked closely with a lithium battery supplier to develop its lithium battery driven platforms. These have low impact on the environment and are quiet. Mr Fracca said the technology can now drive increasingly bigger equipment.

In anticipation of increased production of its new range of spiders, the Orchid truck mount which was launched last year and other machines in its non-aerial product range, Hinowa has bought 90000 sqm of ground to extend its plant.