Lead times going down

Genie said the waiting time for a Z-45 boom was around 4 months, rising to up to 7 months for a popular diesel scissor, although its 19 ft scissor and the new Z-135 boom were both quoted at 9 weeks. Skyjack is quoting up to four months for its most popular scissors in North America, but less than that in Europe, with orders of less than 50 units satisfied within four to six weeks.

JLG would not quote delivery times, but Malcolm Early, JLG's new marketing director for Europe, told AI it had been working with customers to plan deliveries through to the Spring of 2006; “This process has been particularly successful with our customers who have shown a rounded and planned approach to their purchases forward thinking should be recognised as a moreand more important part of today's market”.

European suppliers are generally able to supply equipment more quickly. Iteco said it could deliver within six to eight weeks; Niftylift quoted eight to ten weeks for its trailers and up to 20 weeks for its most popular self-propelled booms; and Haulotte reported between three and four weeks for all its products. UpRight will supply its scissors in under two months, and its AB38 boom in four weeks, said Arne Dirckinck Holmfeld, the European sales.