A revolutionary hybrid-powered cement mixer has taken the UK by storm with a little help from the nation's leading supplier of heavy-duty vehicle lifts.
Built in Italy by Cifa, the mixer has been brought to the UK by Cambridgeshire-based Spanners Mixer hire in its capacity as the manufacturer's main British dealer.
At the recent Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham, Spanners teamed up with lifting solution's specialist TOTALKARE to highlight the advantages of hybrid technology in the heavy vehicle sector.
Alongside the latest in vehicle lifting technology, the mixer took pride of place on the TOTALKARE stand.
Tristan Johnston, the firm's Marketing Manager explained: "We were delighted when Spanners agreed to lend us the mixer for our stand, it gave us the opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of our cable-free lifts whilst raising the profile of the revolutionary Cifa mixer.
"It was the ideal partnership that highlighted the fact that both TOTALKARE and Spanners at are both driving innovation in their respective sectors."
The truck itself uses a standard diesel engine to get around, but uses battery power to turn the mixer. The batteries are constantly recharged whilst the mixer is on the move and this process receives a further boost from regenerative braking technology developed for racing cars.
"This brings a wide range of benefits, both financial and environmental," explained Peter Spooncer, Managing Director of Spanners Mixer Hire. "The mixer has certainly generated a lot of interest during it visit to the UK and has given a lot of people in the construction and commercial vehicle industries an idea of what to expect from mixer manufacturers in the future."
Spanners and TOTALKARE have enjoyed a long and successful working relationship, with a set of six S6CF cable-free mobile column lifts helping to keep the mixer hire firm's fleet running from its workshop in Market Deeping.