A Nissan Cabstar equipped with a Penny Hydraulics V20 crane is used by Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield to handle plant, machinery and building materials required for maintenance tasks throughout the extensive retail site. Meadowhall selected the combination of 7.5t Nissan Cabstar commercial vehicle and two tonne capacity Penny Hydraulics V20 crane for its ability to operate throughout the site and on surfaces that could not be easily accessed with alternative equipment such as fork lift trucks.
"We are very pleased with the vehicle and it has been really useful for supporting our site services," says Gary Wright, Property Services Manager at Meadowhall Shopping Centre.
When Meadowhall was devising its specification for the vehicle it approached a number of potential suppliers and commercial vehicle dealers for advice. Although it recognised the benefits of installing a crane on its vehicle many of the units it looked at were too large or expensive for its particular requirement. One of the commercial vehicle dealers suggested Penny Hydraulics, which specialises in cranes and other load handling devices for small to medium sized commercial vehicles. After discussing its requirements with Penny Hydraulics, Meadowhall selected the company's two tonne capacity V20 model.
Meadowhall wanted to source a turnkey solution from a single supplier and asked Penny Hydraulics if it could manage the supply and conversion of the vehicle. Penny Hydraulics suggested the Nissan Cabstar because its robust quality, narrow track and excellent payload make it an ideal vehicle for the type of loads Meadowhall needs to transport. The company liaised with the local Nissan commercial vehicle dealership, installed the crane and other equipment and ensured it was delivered on time to Meadowhall.
The vehicle is used to handle plant and machinery and building materials such as concrete blocks and bulk bags of sand. The 2000kg maximum working load of the Penny Hydraulics V20 crane makes it an ideal solution for handling loads like these and other large or bulky items on and off commercial vehicles. Lift, slew and boom extension are all controlled hydraulically for smooth, precise and safe load handling. The hydraulic reservoir and motor pump are integrated and fully enclosed in the crane body to ensure compact design with no need for an external oil tank while enabling easy access for servicing. The unit folds down to the king post when not in use to maximise the available floor and load space.
"We wanted a vehicle and crane that could be supplied as a single package and this is what Penny Hydraulics was able to do for us," says Gary Wright.
Penny Hydraulics (www.pennyhydraulics.com) designs, manufactures and services lifting and load handling equipment for use in a wide range of applications. Products include the Swing Lift range of medium duty cranes for use on pick-ups, drop-sides and flat-beds and the Step Lift, Load Lift and Tail Lift lifting platform ranges for use on pick-ups, drop-sides and vans. The company also manufactures the Mezz Lift for handling loads between ground floor and mezzanines and specialist equipment for handling wheels, tyres and barrels in vehicles and at customers' premises.