Kardie Equipment Acquires North America’s Tallest Mobile Elevating Work Platform from Bronto Skylift
Kardie Equipment, a TGM Wind company, recently placed a large order for several Bronto aerial platforms, including the first 341-foot Bronto S341HLAs in North America. The total order will increase Kardie’s fleet by more than 65 percent and is to date one of the biggest Bronto Skylift deals in North America. With the first S341HLA, Kardie will be the sole owner of North America’s tallest aerial platform.
“The new aerial lifts will be used to serve customers across numerous industries including wind turbine generation, transmission and distribution, petrochemical refining, aerospace and more,” said Kevin Darby, founder, Kardie Equipment/TGM Wind Services. “Increasing our inventory of aerial work platforms is critical to meet the rapidly growing demand of both new and existing customers.”
The history of Bronto Skylift and TGM Wind started in 2009 when TGM ordered two 295-foot S295HLA units. Soon after the companies agreed on a strategic, long-term partnership. By 2016, TGM’s rental fleet of Bronto aerials reached 20 units and a year later in 2017 TGM/Kardie and Bronto Skylift signed a distribution agreement covering 10 states. With such an ambitious history together, it’s no surprise that Kardie Equipment / TGM Wind is the first company to introduce the S341HLA to the North American market.
“It has been a privilege to be a part of Kardie Equipment/TGM Wind’s growth as their exclusive supplier,” said Roberto Quintero, sales and marketing director, Bronto Skylift. “Kevin’s entrepreneurial spirit has been the backbone of this rewarding journey, and together with his team, they have consistently exceeded expectations.”
The Bronto S341HLA, a truck-mounted 341-foot aerial work platform, is designed for the increasing height of wind turbines. The average hub height of wind turbines in North America is 295 feet, and rising, because increased altitude means increased wind speed and more power generated.
The Bronto S341HLA features two telescopic booms, a six-section main boom, a three-section cage boom, and an extendable platform with 1,500 pounds of safe working load. Mounted on a United States-sourced chassis, the machines can maneuverer safely in worksites and regular road traffic. In addition to a maximum working height of 341 feet, the S341HLA’s horizontal outreach is 105 feet.
“Kardie Equipment/TGM Wind Services values the positive partnership with Bronto and looks forward to offering new products to our customers allowing them to safely and efficiently reach new heights,” added Darby.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.