LIGHTER. SAFER. SMARTER.
DESIGNING SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY INTO VEHICLE-MOUNTED ACCESS PLATFORMS.
By Marc Paish, managing director at Aldercote
When access equipment is used at height, safety is ultimately determined by engineering choices made long before the platform reaches site. While safety is the priority, those choices also need to take into account additional pressures, such as maximising reach reducing fuel consumption and minimising downtime.
That’ s why engineers at Aldercote have rethought traditional designs from the ground up. The result is a new generation of lightweight, fuel-efficient vehiclemounted access solutions built around smarter materials, cleaner hydraulics, and, increasingly, electric-integrated power systems.
Aldercote is an established UK manufacturer specialising in innovative vehicle-mounted access platforms, which are widely used across utilities, infrastructure, telecoms and fleet operations.
One of the company’ s clearest advances is the move toward lighter platforms that retain the strength and stability operators expect. By using high-tensile steels and optimised boom geometries, Aldercote trims mass without sacrificing structural integrity. This allows the platforms to reach further and higher, and each kilogram saved translates directly into reduced fuel use, helping fleets meet tightening emissions targets and extending the life of the vehicle. For operators working in utilities, telecoms or highways maintenance, where platforms are deployed dozens of times per shift, those fuel savings accumulate rapidly.
Engineering decisions made at the design stage also have an outsized effect on lifetime operating cost. By opting for simplified hydraulic circuits, sealed-forlife components, and modular assemblies, Aldercote reduces potential failure points. This means service intervals are longer, maintenance is less intrusive, and routine upkeep is faster.
16 AUTOMATION, CONTROL & ENGINEERING