West Coast Motors has invested in a set of Stertil Koni wireless mobile column lifts, for its Perryman’s Buses subsidiary.
Each 7.5 tonne capacity column has an eBright smart control system that enables staff to operate the columns individually, in pairs, or as a set of four to provide a combined lifting capacity of 30 tonnes.
Long-life deep cycle batteries will power the lifts for at least a week on average before recharging is necessary.
Established in the early 1920s, West Coast Motors has remained privately owned by the Craig family based at Campbeltown in Argyll.
The company now employs approximately 415 staff and has a fleet of 220 buses and coaches. Steady growth has been achieved through continual investment and strategic acquisitions.
This formula has seen an ongoing expansion of the company which now incorporates City Sightseeing Glasgow, Bute and Oban, Glasgow Citybus, Kintyre Express, West Coast Tours, Fairline Coaches and Perryman’s Buses.
As the latest operator to join the West Coast Motors family, Perryman’s Buses manages a modern vehicle fleet that ranges from 16-seater mini buses to full size touring coaches.
From its depots in Berwick Upon Tweed and Newtown St Boswell, the company operates a network of bus, coach and tour services across the Scottish Borders and in North Northumberland to both local and visiting customers.
The decision to specify the Stertil Koni wireless mobile column lifts follows a review by West Coast Motors of its workshop lifting equipment in 2012 which resulted in the company choosing Stertil Koni as its preferred supplier.
Offering smooth, accurate and controlled operation, Stertil Koni ST1075FWA wireless mobile column lifts are specially designed to lift commercial vehicles such as buses and heavy trucks.
The eBright smart control system incorporates full-colour touch screen consoles to simplify operation of the Stertil Koni range of wireless mobile column lifts.
This is achieved by providing intuitive ease of use with maximum visual information about every lifting operation – all at the fingertips of the technician.
Optimal connectivity and stability is assured by a super modern wireless MESH network for continuous active channel search.
A host of owner/user configurable options includes choice of language and personalised ID key with pin code to prevent unauthorised use.
The eBright system also features a workshop-integrated automatic log function covering motor hours, lifting cycles and battery status. Programmable on-screen notifications are also available to provide safety warnings, scheduled maintenance details and dealer/after-sales information.
The batteries can then be charged overnight via a 230v single phase supply.
As one of the fastest vehicle lifts available, the ST1075FWA provides lifting heights up to 1.85 metres which is achieved in just 75 seconds. Significantly, the lift’s unique synchronisation system ensures a smooth lifting and lowering cycle, even in the event of extremely uneven load distribution.
Positioning of the wireless columns is flexible: they can be used in any configuration around a vehicle. With no cables on the workshop floor, the risk of tripping is removed, providing valuable health and safety benefits and, with no power supply necessary, the system can be used inside or outdoors.
Also, the absence of power and communication cables means that set-up time is drastically reduced thereby making the system fully operational much more quickly.
Says Tony Edge, General Manager of Stertil Koni. “Following successful operation of similar units at other depots, West Coast Motors had no hesitation in specifying the latest set of Stertil Koni wireless mobile column lifts for use at Perryman’s Buses.”
