Enterprise Flex-E-Rent has become the first United Kingdom rental business to offer the highly specialist Multilift Commander container-handling Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) and is providing 14 vehicles to the joint venture between Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall (EKFB) for use on the central section of the High Speed 2 rail project.

The Hiab-built 32 tonne Multilift Commander (with Mercedes chassis) unit concept has previously only been used in the U.K. by the military. They are specially designed to augment the traditional hook-lift system that is commonplace in the waste industry.

The design adds the ability to pick up, move and deliver ISO shipping containers or a similar-sized cargo in any location that a truck can access without the use of a crane or other lifting operations. This is particularly useful in very remote sites where it is difficult to get mechanical handling equipment in place.

The Multilift Commander hook-lift system enables the driver to load and unload the cargo at the push of a button - taking only a few minutes, and without any additional vehicles or any of the safety risks that come from cargo hanging in the air from a crane.

The 14 vehicles being hired by EKFB are split between the 5-Star Direct Vision Standard (DVS)-rated Mercedes-Benz Econic and the Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3240 K 8x4 chassis with a top, 3-Star DVS safety rated S-cab 3.

They are fitted with an array of the latest safety equipment, including Advanced Brake Assist 5, Stability Control, onboard cameras and tracking systems, and features ranging from headlamp mesh guards to puddle lights. They add to the more than 300 other commercial vehicles EKFB already hires from Enterprise.

'Working across a delivery area of over 80km and supporting multiple worksites in rural and remote locations required a different approach,' EKFB Senior Logistics Manager Paul Bedford said. 'Having seen this type of equipment operating in austere military overseas environments, it was a logical fit.

'The ability to use a 20ft ISO container footprint to move plant, material and waste provides huge flexibility. Previously, several pieces of equipment and employees had to combine to load and unload vehicles, plus they needed a crane or alternative material handling equipment. This slowed the process down and could become expensive.

'With a single Multilift Commander, one driver can do all that work in potentially a quarter of the time: 10 to 15 minutes instead of 30 to 40. That's a huge time and cost saving. The teams on the ground can then unload at their convenience, leaving the HGV to move on to its next task. There are also several safety benefits, such as the removal of working at height and the ability to strap loads when they are at ground level.

'Enterprise helped us devise an innovative solution, which led us to merging the vehicle with industry-leading safety equipment. Enterprise's technical expertise and relationships with vehicle build specialists helped us to acquire the exact design we needed.'

'This project perfectly illustrates our capabilities - the widest range of standard commercial vehicles on offer as well as creating and renting unique designs to meet bespoke customer needs,' Enterprise Flex-E-Rent Managing Director Danny Glynn added.

'Our aim is to provide the right commercial vehicle support for every customer requirement, and in this case, it meant bringing partners together to create a rental solution for a vehicle that was previously used primarily by the military.

'The unparalleled scale of the demands and challenges of the HS2 project requires a unique vehicle approach to transport all of the large, heavy welfare cabins to remote areas on a regular basis. Helping EKFB required creative thinking from everyone involved, and we've developed the depth of network and supplier relationships needed to deliver any type of vehicle anywhere.'

EKFB, a joint venture between Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall, delivers civil engineering works across an 80km section of the new HS2 high speed rail link between the Chiltern Tunnel and Long Itchington Wood. HS2 is Europe's largest infrastructure project.

Enterprise Holdings is a leading provider of mobility solutions, owning and operating the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental...

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