Located just 9.2 miles, or a 15-minute drive, from Snorkel’s manufacturing facility in the UK, Tyne & Wear Access have grown their hire fleet in the past 12 months with ten brand-new locally-built aerial lifts, including most recently, a Snorkel A38E electric articulated boom lift, delivered in early February.

Tyne & Wear Access managing director, John Lewins has been actively supporting Snorkel, his local MEWP manufacturer since 2017, when he purchased his first unit. Since then the number of Snorkel lifts in their fleet has steadily grown, with ten machines added in the past year. This has included two Snorkel S3010P push-around mini scissor lifts, two Snorkel S3219E and two S3226E electric scissor lifts, a TM12 self-propelled telescopic mast lift, a S2755BE bi-energy narrow rough terrain scissor lift, and a A46JRT rough terrain articulated boom lift, purchased through Alistair Jordan of Snorkel UK.

Founded in January 2010, Tyne & Wear Access are based in Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, located close to the River Tyne, to the east of Newcastle city centre. An access equipment specialist, they offer access hire and sales for new and used equipment, as well as IPAF, PASMA and CPC training, and plant haulage services. They are also RTITB accredited.

Buying British, and preferably local, is a focus for managing director, John Lewins. He said, "As a local business, there is nothing better than being able to buy and hire out, or sell, equipment that was assembled in the North East of England, right here in Tyne & Wear. To know that we can support our local economy through our business activities is something that I’m very proud of, and it’s fantastic to see this quality of product being manufactured on our doorstep."

Snorkel lifts have been manufactured in Vigo Centre in Washington, Tyne & Wear since 2007, and the facility assembles a large proportion of the Snorkel product range for sale in the UK and for export around the world. The site features a multi-million pound dual-coat powder paint facility, which provides an industry-leading paint finish.

Andrew Fishburn, managing director of Snorkel UK, said, "It is such a pleasure to partner with a local company like Tyne & Wear Access, who appreciate the many benefits of buying local and supporting the UK manufacturing sector. On behalf of Snorkel and Snorkel UK, I would like to thank John for his loyalty and ongoing business, and we look forward to supporting Tyne & Wear Access as they continue to grow."