Diversifying the access industry

After over a year of presence in the Middle East, Hydro Mobile’s platforms and access equipment are already in full operation on the region’s major construction sites, explains Vincent Dequoy, President of the access company.

“Hydro Mobile has made customer service and safety its priorities”
-Vincent Dequoy, President of Hydro Mobile, Inc.

Be it residential, institutional or commercial structures, high-rise or low-rise edifices, the equipment combined with the full array of services provided by Hydro Mobile, are making it possible for contractors to increase productivity and avoid costly delays and overruns.

Located in Montreal, Canada, Hydro Mobile designed the first hydraulic mast climbing work platform in the mid-eighties to provide the masonry industry with a safer and more productive alternative to traditional scaffolds. Twenty-five years later, the company has developed a complete range of mast-climbers to answer the specific needs of any trade in the industry. We decided to diversify our offer to provide access solutions for any construction or restoration project. We know that the whole industry feels the pressure from the economic slowdown, an increase in competition, stricter time constraints and workforce shortages. It is getting harder for contractors and subcontractors of any size to be profitable and the financial context is driving growth in the mast-climber market, as our access equipments considerably improve productivity, safety and working conditions.

Hydro Mobile's offers a complete range of mast climbers that includes the F-series, the most flexible platform on the market. With the highest speed to capacity ratio available today, it is best suited for heights of 100 feet or higher and can accommodate multi-trade work, covering a wide variety of types of work; windows, EIFS, Stucco, painting and even bricklaying. The F-Series combines a speed of 38 fpm and a capacity of 15,000 lb. What's more, platforms are independent and can be operated separately to work at different heights simultaneously.

The E-Series, Hydro Mobile's most recent model, was designed for a wide variety of works, outdoors or indoors; roofing, painting, glazing, caulking, restoration, inspection, cleaning, maintenance and so on. Fully electrical, it climbs at 21 fpm and carries up to 5840 lb.

The P-series is perfect for smaller jobs that require high loading capacity and for restrained work areas. The P-Series combines a small transportation size (it fits in a 36" opening) with a not negligible load capacity of 10,000 lb. and a speed of 10 fpm. The P-Series is ideal for multi-residential or small commercial masonry jobs ranging between 15 and 100 feet in height. The M-series is most commonly used for facade works that require high loading capacity. Supporting weights of up to 20,000 lb., it has one of the highest load capacities in the market. 

In addition, Hydro Mobile has developed a multitude of accessories that adapt to these models, allowing the platforms to conform to an extended range of architectural configurations, whether it comes to angles, corners or circular shapes.

In 2007, Hydro Mobile joined forces with RAXTAR, a European passenger and materials hoist manufacturer that offers reliable, cost-effective and innovative products. RAXTAR's and Hydro Mobile's masts are fully compatible, which leads to important cost reductions as mast climbers and hoists can function in parallel on the same mast.

In all of its active markets, Hydro Mobile has made customer service and safety its priorities. The company emphasises on user training to help optimise not only jobsite safety, but also productivity. A designated team of skilled engineers also offers technical support and designs custom solutions.

In order to keep up with this level of service, yet unmatched in the access industry, Hydro Mobile chooses its local partners with care for the distribution and servicing of its products. Together with leading industry players like the Kanoo Group in the UAE, Hydro Mobile offers the experience and expertise to satisfy the needs of every contractor: higher productivity, better flexibility, ease of use and greater safety.

To download complete specifications, learn more about Hydro Mobile's products or find a distributor in your area, please visit www.hydro-mobile.com or call toll free 1.888.484.9376.

Vincent Dequoy is the President of Hydro Mobile Inc. and a very influential figure in the access industry. He is Chairman of the ISO 16369 Standard and a member of ANSI 92.9 and 92.10 Committees.