GGR Group has sold the first electric telehandler to Flannery Plant Hire in the UK.
The machine will be used on the new HS2 project. The Eco telehandler is designed and manufactured by Italian company Faresin Industries. It features a lifting capacity of 2.6t and is powered by a lithium battery.
Niall Hester, operations director at Flannery Plant Hire said, “Following the demonstration of the Eco telehandler at GGR’s Haddenham depot, we worked closely with GGR to find a suitable test site. The HS2 project seemed the natural option for this machine as the project focuses heavily on environmentally friendly innovation and reducing carbon emissions of assets.
“The electric telehandler has been very well received on site and has helped set up a concrete compound. The teams were able to get full 10 hour shifts with the machine without needing a re-charge. The machine was then left to charge overnight ready for the next shift. A fast charger was supplied to the customer which would have charged the machine in just under two hours, however it was not needed in the end.”
Graeme Riley, CEO of GGR Group added, “We are pleased to have worked with Flannery Plant Hire on this sale and are thrilled that it will now be used on one of the UK’s biggest infrastructure projects. In a growing environmentally conscious world, the Electric Telehandler really is a great eco-friendly alternative to the standard petrol/diesel powered machines, and we are already in talks with several other plant hire firms to get this exclusive product rolled out across the UK.”
Initially launched at the Executive Hire Show in February, Covid-19 related uncertainty almost led to the introduction to the UK market being put on hold.
GGR marketing director Daniel Ezzatvar explained, “We were fortunate to have an intensive schedule of activity planned very early on in the campaign. At the time, a lot of restrictions were being put in place in Italy, where the manufacturer is based, so we had a taste of what communication and planning would be like in the event of our own lockdown.
“We took the decision to postpone a large scale open day that we had planned, but instead welcomed a smaller number of guests who were already further down the line with the purchasing process. With lockdown restrictions starting to be lifted and the industry starting to pick up again, we are now inviting potential customers to visit us for their own exclusive demo days, where they can bring their company representatives and own guests as required.”
