Focusing on the future, WEMO-tec receives delivery of first of nine environment-friendly Genie® machines in Germany

Anticipating on increased demand for environment-friendly aerial work platforms, Eichenzell-based rental company WEMO-tec near Fulda in Germany received delivery of the first units of an order for nine hybrid, electric and bi-energy Genie^® machines in July.

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Adapted to both indoor and outdoor applications, these ‘2-in-1’ models include three hybrid Genie Z™ -60/37 FE articulating boom lifts (awarded Rental Product of the Year 2017 by the European Rental Association), three all-electric Genie Z-33/18 articulating boom lifts and three Genie GS™ -3369 BE bi-energy scissor lifts. Working heights of these models range from 11.84 m (38 ft 10 in) to 20 m (65 ft 7 in), and horizontal reaches range from 5.57 m (18 ft 3 in) to 11.15 m (36 ft 7 in).

WEMO-tec offers 550 different models of access and lifting equipment. Genie machines represent about half of the company’s aerial platform fleet. “We have a good long-term relationship with Genie and have great trust in the quality of the innovative Genie machines. Consequently, we have every reason to believe in these environment-friendly models. We are expecting them to play an essential part in our company’s development,“ says Mr. Joachim Nießner, Managing Director, WEMO-tec GmbH.

He continues: “Customers’ attitudes are changing, and the question of emissions and noise levels is an increasingly important factor when choosing machines. These days operators have much stronger views about avoiding working in a polluted, noisy environment. But at the same time, being restricted in terms of performance is out of the question.”

Thanks to its advanced power technology, the hybrid Genie Z-60/37 FE boom lift combines the benefits of quiet, clean electric performance and the power of traditional Genie diesel machines all in one unit. “The Genie Z-60/37 FE boom is an excellent start to finish solution, which is just what customers are looking for, particularly in the construction and facilities maintenance sectors,” says Mr. Nießner. “With our new environment-friendly Genie machines, WEMO-tec is creating a new ‘green’ product group that we intend to market separately. Over the coming five years, we are expecting this new category will grow rapidly to represent a much larger proportion of our fleet.”

Why? Because, as it applies to many European countries, it’s all a question of a steady social process. Ecology, air pollution and respecting the environment are not new trends, but real issues that have been gaining ground for several decades. This first applied to prohibiting smoking in offices and public places, then restricting the access of diesel and older generation petrol cars and vehicles to city centres, and more recently, the introduction of electric and hybrid vehicles. “Today, attitudes and restrictions are evolving, and naturally, be it rental customers, machine operators or for that matter, anyone working on sites where heavy equipment is involved, people are already much more sensitive about the quality of their working environment,” says Mr. Nießner.

He continues: “In urban areas in Germany, people have become very particular about the noise and pollution caused by machinery. So much so, that these days it’s now common practice to install insulated panelling around buildings as noise protection.”

However, emissions and noise restrictions are not the only considerations. “On some of the larger projects here, health and safety requirements already go as far as requiring people to hold a hand rail when descending steps and stairs or not to walk around with a cup of coffee in their hands. Therefore, although we’ve already seen the introduction of certain new restrictions recently, it’s still in the early stages, and in the relatively short-term, we can only expect requirements to get much stricter

Offering an excellent alternative to traditional diesel powered models, in addition to the benefits of its oscillating axle system, thanks to its unique power technology, the hybrid Genie Z-60/37 FE boom lift combines the traction of true 4WD machines with the quiet, clean efficiency of electric-powered units. In ‘all-electric’ mode, it can provide a full shift of operation on a single battery charge. Used in ‘hybrid’ mode, it offers more than a week of run time with a single tank of diesel to perform extremely efficiently in rough terrain conditions. In hybrid mode, the machine uses its environmentally friendly Stage IIIB/Tier 4F engine-powered generator to maintain the state of charge of the batteries.

As for the bi-energy Genie GS -3369 BE scissor lift, “Here again, thanks to its two drive modes this model is a highly productive, start-to-finish all terrain solution. It also features an integrated 110V/220V power point, through which electricity is provided by the generator. This offers an extremely convenient power source for tools on jobsites where electricity is not available,” notes Mr. Nießner

At the entry price level of the Genie articulating boom lift range, the electric Z-33/18 boom is a simple, lightweight ‘2-in-1’ machine that is sufficiently powerful to perform virtually any task up to 12 m (39 ft) indoors and out. Robust and easy to operate, this model’s efficient three-phase AC electric drive system requires less energy and offers longer battery cycles than other types of electric-powered units. In addition to quiet, zero emissions performance and ease of operation, the Genie Z-33/18 boom lift is able to drive longer distances, needs to be recharged less often and costs less to maintain than units equipped with a DC transmission.

Offering rental companies everything they need to boost rates of utilization and return of investment, according to Mr. Nießner, “The electric Genie Z-33/18 boom lift is an excellent complement to our fleet. It’s accessibly priced, extremely versatile, very straightforward to operate, and capable of operating indoors and outdoors for a full work day on a single battery charge.” He continues: “Its low tail swing and narrow turning radius are great advantages, and its light weight and reduced floor pressure are perfect for jobs on fragile surfaces and places where space is limited. As the perfect all-rounder it definitely deserves top marks. Among others, we see great potential for the Genie Z-33/18 boom in the facilities maintenance and general and industrial construction sectors.”

Although, for the time being, diesel machines still have their place in any rental fleet, “It’s only a question of awareness,” says Mr. Nießner. “Once customers have the chance to try out these ‘green’ Genie machines, they’ll rapidly be convinced by their advantages. So it won’t be long before the word gets round – and once it does we’re convinced that there will be no looking back.”