Beyond belief!
1 April 2024
Once again, the first day of April has seen a flurry of unusual announcements about eyebrow-raising product developments.
As the Easter Monday bank holiday fell on 1 April this year, the number of stories was perhaps down but creativity and ingenuity were still in evidence.
Also striking was how many items had a green, environmentally friendly angle.
Hirer Aerial Platforms Ltd (APL) claimed to have introduced the Solar Scissor Lift (shown above), a machine with a solar panel built right into the floor of the work platform. Why waste time charging, asked the company, when you can harness the power of the sun all day long? APL says that users’ productivity can soar as high as they do, without ever having to pause for power. Amazing!
Highlighting the apparently extraordinary capacity of the batteries used in its power tools, Makita UK announced the rugged XGT Motorbike, Quad Bike and Go Kart on its XGT cordless platform. Some might say the manufacturer is taking the customer for a ride, although the company claims they can experience next-level performance and durability.
Talisman Hire, which has more than 100 owner-operated stores across southern Africa, announced the world’s first line-up of lunar panels as a steady and eco-friendly power source that can provide households with power as the owner sleeps. The company described it as a green choice for a brighter future.
Power Electrics reported the addition of wind powered HGVs to its delivery fleet complete with sails, while the manufacturer Dingli announced the unlikely introduction of AC+ perpetual motion scissor lifts that do away with the need for recharging. Special technology using a so-called gravity down energy recovery system is said to charge the machine as the platform descends, lowering energy consumption and giving longer battery life. Ingenious – if not ingenuous.
In similar vein, Templant Rental Power announced the introduction of the iconic Sinclair C5 battery-powered bike for its generator deliveries (shown below). With its sleek design and compact size, the company described it as the perfect solution for navigating tight city streets with ease.
Trime’s announcement on social media took the form of a spoof advert styled from yesteryear contrasting contemporary ‘grey’ lighting equipment that belched out fumes against the company’s modern eco-friendly green machines.
Xwatch Safety Solutions heralded its X-EcoGuard, a range of workwear designed to combat what it described as PME, or personal methane emission. “This pioneering PPE device is designed specifically to manage a delicate issue we all: face bodily methane emissions, or in simpler terms, the gas we occasionally release,” said Dan Leaney, Sales & Operations Director
Dan said that the core of the X-EcoGuard (shown below) is an advanced filter, which can catch and neutralise methane immediately, keeping the wearer light and fresh as well as the planet. The clothing is made apparently from recycled materials, with various styles available.
Other announcements were designed to have more general appeal rather than being eco-specific. Hull-based Go Hire released news of how old tools like spanners, as well as items like nuts and bolts, can be turned into fashionable jewellery using its new Jewels4Tools service (shown below). In a cleverly worded statement comprising rhyming couplets, the company described how “From rusty old nails to worn-out pliers, We'll craft them into jewels that everyone admires. A hammer becomes a sparkling crown, A wrench morphs into a necklace renowned.” Incredible!
Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland promoted Heelys, described as the latest addition to the hirer’s PPE footwear collection. Apparently combining the strength of work boots with the functionality of roller skates, Sunbelt believes the shoes could “transform the way we move around our workshops, depots and offices,” significantly speeding up operations and providing faster service to our customers. Marvellous!
Because the clocks had to go forward one hour on 30 March for the start of British Summer Time, Toga Hire Centres made the extraordinary claim that its intrepid staff had worked round the clock in supplying the aluminium tower for contractors to move Stonehenge into a position one hour ahead. Stone me!
Hilti (Gt. Britain) claimed to have unveiled the Drillpresso coffee machine to enable construction professionals to have their morning caffeine fix while getting projects done. The unit is said to blend the power of a drill with the aromatic wonders of freshly brewed coffee, enabling the user to drill and chill at the same time. An accompanying video showed the liquid contents being dispensed from the power tool’s handle. Extraordinary!
Niftylift asked us to consider its new MicroNifty machines, purporting to be a range of miniature aerial work platforms. The company’s R&D team claim to have stumbled upon a batch of Pym particles produced by the Marvel Comics character Dr. Hank Pym to shrink or enlarge anything they touch.
The manufacturer says this enables users to carry a machine in a backpack and take it through congested urban jungles or industrial corridors, and then to resize it on the spot at the press of a button to tackle any job, no matter the height or complexity.
Similar food for thought came from dealer Gunn JCB which gave details of The Staffordshire Oatcake. The company said it had apparently teamed up with the iconic Staffordshire-based machinery manufacturer to launch the foodstuff, made daily at JCB's Rocester worldwide headquarters and shipped out via an overnight delivery service, to arrive at all Gunn JCB depots fresh for when they open at 7:30am. The dealership said it had even equipped its delivery vans with cool boxes to ensure the product reaches customers across its north-west, north Wales and isle of Man network in tip-top condition.
That gives something to chew over, perhaps – as do all these other stories from 1 April. But as always, do be careful and trust your own judgement...
