Batteries bring opportunities

14 April 2023

Here’s why it's important for hirers not just to keep abreast of new products, but also to understand their particular capabilities, especially environmentally friendly variants of traditional equipment. Doing so could mean winning more business. 

Site-Eco has previously reported on a number of new battery versions of petrol engined machines that deliver the same performance. While some equipment like the Altrad Belle PCX 13/40E+ battery compaction plate (pictured above) give enough power to operate throughout a typical working day, other more energy-intensive products may have significantly shorter run-times before requiring recharging. 

Some might say why bother, if a petrol machine can run for as long as you have fuel available? Obviously you can extend running times by fitting a spare battery while the first one recharges, but isn’t is just more hassle? 

However, that ignores the key point that battery products have specific advantages over their fossil fuel counterparts. For one thing, they can be used indoors or in enclosed spaces like tunnels as they create no fumes. 

Indeed, when I posted about one such battery product on social media recently, a contractor quickly responded saying that it could be ideal for work inside buildings that would otherwise be very challenging or impossible with conventional equipment. 

So new battery powered products can open up different application possibilities – and more hire opportunities if potential end users are targeted appropriately. 

Mind you, there are some instances where petrol power will remain the popular choice for some time yet. More on that in a future post…