Skyjack to accelerate product development

Skyjack will accelerate the development of new aerial platforms, said Ken McDougall (pictured), Skyjack's group president, with the aim of releasing two new products a year.

He told ALH that the development of the 40 and 45 telescopic booms “took too long for my liking...I want two new products a year.” New 61 foot and 66 foot telescopic booms – considered to be a single product – will be launched at the Rental Show in February.

Skyjack has increased its design team by over 30% in the past year, and construction of a Skyjack technical development center is to start in Guelph, Ontario in 2008.

Meanwhile, McDougall said the manufacture of the Carelift ZoomBoom telehandlers it recently acquired will be relocated to a Skyjack facility in Guelph fairly soon. He said the aim was to triple production levels – currently 230 to 250 machines annually – within the next three or four years.