PEOPLE ON THE MARKET - Smart Platforms

Smart Platforms celebrating 10th anniversary…with their 150th order of CTE Zed platforms

Smart Platform Rental Ltd, based in London, Birmingham and in Manchester celebrated their 10th anniversary at the beginning of July 2012, whilst at the same time they took delivery of their 150th CTE platform whilst at Vertikal Days in Haydock.Smart Platform Rental was incorporated in 2002 by Andy Burt as a specialist hirer of self-drive platforms, catering for many sectors, from signage to the maintenance of buildings, pest control, tree surgery, festive decoration and many more market sectors. The total SMART fleet consists of 97% 3.5tonne vehicles, most of them supplied by CTE UK (the CTE affiliate based in Enderby, Leicestershire) .Smart Platforms have found since their early days that the CTE product range was ideal for their unique business concept, which focuses highly on self drive rental.

Smart’s fleet counts 75 CTE machines, which are rented from the company’s three depots in England. It comes to no surprise that Smart have recently placed yet another significant order from CTE UK, which will lead to the introduction of the new ZED 20 CH into their product portfolio.
ZED is the CTE brand identifying the sigma & telescopic boom truck mounted range; launched in 2011, ZED 20 CH reaches 20 m of working height, offers an outreach of 9,2 m and a platform capacity of 230 kg over the entire working envelope. The “CH” version introduced a lower stowed height of just 2,5 m and a patented vertical stabilization system with connecting rods, requiring just one cylinder for both beam extension and jacks lowering, which reduces weight. This system also allows to stabilize the machine more effectively compared to conventional A-frame outrigger designs, i.e. closer to or on pedestrian walkways, since it offers an improved stabilization height. It is still very simple to set up, with just 4 levers, and very quick - in less than 20 seconds the machine is ready to go!

We have interviewed Andy Burt, Founder and Managing Director of SMART Platforms for Easy Magazine:

How Does Your Business Market Itself?
“Marketing can be a complex science, but at its most satisfying its simply creating new business opportunities by recommendations from existing customers who are pleased with their experience of good product backed by good service”

How Has The UK Self-drive market evolved over the last 10 years?
“The biggest change to self-drive is the equipment and it’s versatility, from the old concepts of 5.5 and 7.5 tonne vehicles with limited reach and masses of tail swing, to the latest safe and easy to use efficient platforms with engines conforming to environmental standards”.
“Changes in UK driving licensing laws have forced firms to look at alternatives”.

What Is Your “Recipe” For Success And What Values Do You Have For Your Daily Work?
“We have worked hard and with some pride to create more of a consumer experience for customers of Smart Platform Rental. With a concerted effort to move away from plant hire and into professional rental more associated with cars and vans, from our transparent published pricing policy to our clean, low age profile of the best in class equipment all collected from our contemporary hire office facilities is the bedrock of 10 years of work”.

What Are Your Customers Looking For In A Platform? What Is Driving Their Choice?
“Quite simply, platform specification, price, ease of use and reliability, not necessarily in that order. It then stands to reason that these are the key drivers in Smart’s decision when evaluating new products for the fleet”

What is the greatest satisfaction you received in the workplace and in private?
“Creating a company that is creative”.
“I have always believed that people find greater satisfaction when they are being creative”.
“I have followed this philosophy both professionally and personally and have tried to provide an environment at work that promotes this, the result is a small team of highly motivated individuals with a genuine pride in their company, our personnel retention over the years backs up this claim”.