Skako Lift Inc., Kingwood, Texas, announced that following a name change from ReachMaster Inc. last year, they will keep the ReachMaster name alive and show their new lifts alongside their new ReachMaster Falcon FS105-Z at both the ARA and ConExpo 2011.
“I am tempted to say ‘back by popular demand,’” said Ebbe Christensen, president and CEO of Skako Lift. “Following the name change release last year, we received so many comments from industry professionals and actually direct complaints from customers and dealers about losing a name that for a decade had become almost a synonym with compact lifts that we had to re-visit the decision.
“Many of our customers had built their business around the ReachMaster brand as a description of their activities, and we realized that while the name change still makes a lot of sense from a global recognition perspective, we were actually imposing inconvenience and expenses to a large group of customers, who would not let the ReachMaster name go.
“By having the new ReachMaster logo, where we have added ‘by Skako Lift,’ we maintain the integrity of the ReachMaster name and logo while at the same time making a clear connection to our corporate entity.”
Skako Lift is launching a brand new lift line under the name ReachMaster BlueLift.
“It is really not a replacement situation, but frankly more a step forward as we know the new BlueLift line will literally raise the bar in the segment,” said Christensen. “When the news about the alliance between Hinowa and JLG broke out in October last year it was actually a bittersweet situation. Bitter because we had pioneered not only the line, but frankly the entire segment, but also sweet because it opened up for evaluating a company we secretly had kept a close eye on for a couple of years from a competition point of view.”
Initially four models will be introduced with respectively 39-, 46-, 53- and 72-foot work height, at mid-summer a 60-foot unit will follow, and at the end of the year an 82-foot unit. All units are dual powered with 110v direct drive and either a Honda 440ix or a Hatz diesel engine. A lithium power supply option is also in the works and is currently undergoing testing on a prototype.
“We’re still evaluating the true market need for the lithium versions, as the higher cost and unknown data as far as durability of these systems should be considered against the current well known 10v/combustion versions. But if the technology takes off, we will be ready,” said Christensen.
In addition to the US, Canada, and Central and South America, Skako Lift Europe will also represent BlueLift in Scandinavia and other markets.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
