In a six-figure investment, national crane hire firm AMC has bought a new fleet of battery-powered mini cranes for its Liverpool city region and London depots. Tony McDonough reports

National Merseyside-based crane hire firm AMC has taken delivery of a new fleet of battery-powered mini cranes in a six-figure investment.

And the purchase of the cranes by AMC, which has its headquarters in Knowsley and a second base in London, has already led to it winning a number of new contracts including the Moxy Southampton Hotel, Livingstone Academy Bournemouth, and Borough Market London.

The business is also working alongside material manufacturer MICAM at Heathrow Airport Terminal 2, to help replace the iconic ‘Wall Of Honour’ glass sculpture that references the people who helped build the facility.

Founded in 2009 by Peter Piekarus as A Mini Crane Hire, the Knowsley-based firm changed hands for a seven-figure sum in September 2020. It was bought by experienced investor Mark Davenport with Mr Piekarus remaining as a director. He rebrand the company as AMC.

Now it has taken delivery of six Maeda MC285CB-3, and five Hoeflon C6e – the first UK company to do so – fully battery-powered mini cranes, located across its two depots in Liverpool and London.

AMC says the cranes are “ahead of the curve” in terms of zero emissions of innovative electric machinery. Health and safety onsite also benefits as the electric cranes operate silently which greatly improves communications.

Mr Davenport said: “Our mission is to continue innovating as a future-thinking company, so we can provide our customers with more choice, quality and reliability in bespoke lifting solutions.

“Our new electric cranes will help us achieve this tenfold and I am proud to see the company leading the competition in this arena. Electric cranes are the future of our industry – and AMC is right there at the front.

“What the company has achieved in the last 12 months is quite incredible when you consider the challenges we have all faced through the pandemic. We have been brave in our actions by investing in new equipment, creating jobs when other companies made cuts, and bringing our existing fleet bang up to date.

“Our confidence has paid off and we are now in a position to be excited about how the second half of 2021 progresses – especially now with the new electric fleet in place.”

AMC has also invested in seven eco-friendly cars for its sales team across both depots, including an all-electric Golf and six BMW 330 plug-in hybrids.