Pierce Manufacturing Named Exclusive North American Distributor for Bronto Skylift Aerial Platforms
APPLETON, Wis. (March 15, 2011) – Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, announced today that it has signed an exclusive distribution and supply agreement to market and support the Bronto Skylift line of aerial platform devices throughout North America. Pierce will offer Bronto Skylift products, including the 165’ RLP – the tallest aerial platform available in North America – on its industry-leading line of Arrow XT™, Impel™, Quantum® and Velocity™ custom chassis. Furthermore, the Pierce dealer network will provide comprehensive service, parts inventory, training and support for new and existing Bronto Skylift customers.
“This is a major addition to our aerial device product line, and an important day for both Pierce and Bronto Skylift customers,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “With this agreement, Pierce immediately expands upon its leadership in aerial apparatus to meet the rescue and firefighting challenges faced by fire departments. And of equal importance is our unmatched network of highly trained dealer organizations that are prepared to provide best-in-class service and support for existing Bronto Skylift customers.”
“We think that the fire service will benefit as never before from the high quality, unique access devices that Pierce and Bronto will be working together to build,” said Esa Peltola, Bronto’s Managing Director. “We look forward to a bright future working with the Pierce team.”
Pierce will market the Bronto Skylift RLP 100, 114, 134 and 165 aerial platforms – devices renowned worldwide for their impressive performance, reach and articulation. Pierce will mount and integrate complete aerial platforms received from the Bronto Skylift factory onto Pierce custom chassis.
The Bronto Skylift line features enhanced up-and-over and below-grade reach to enable more effective rescues in a wide range of scenarios. The Bronto line also offers a telescopic cage boom, a large rescue platform with more room for firefighters, and a surprisingly compact design for excellent maneuverability.
“For departments that respond to everything from very high reach to difficult below grade rescue situations, the Bronto product line is without peer for its versatility in the most challenging environments,” added Johnson. “Moreover, Bronto Skylift is an excellent and proven brand, with over 6000 units in operation around the globe. When combined with the performance of Pierce custom chassis and our unmatched support network, this is a win-win across the board.”
Pingback: E-ONE gets Bronto SkyLift products back | chicagoareafire.com
#1 by Dennis McGuire Jr. on March 22, 2011 - 5:56 AM
The 2000 HME/Central States all have rebuilt and remounted Snorkel booms on them. Specialty Vehicle which used to be in Alsip was the Central States dealer and also they are the ones who mounted the booms on the chassis.
#2 by Bill Post on March 21, 2011 - 7:43 PM
Jacob the company that you are talking about is American LaFrance which had bought the rights to manufacture the Snorkel from the Snorkel Company, however during the last few years they stopped marketing and building them. I do believe that they will rebuild and remount older Snorkels however.
It is also possible to remount older Snorkels on chassis besides American LaFrance. Memphis, Tennessee, which runs with two 55-foot single piece “Snorkel Squads” had a 55-foot Snorkel rehabbed by Pierce who remounted it on a new chassis and body just a few years ago.
I really don’t know if American LaFrance is selling off it’s Snorkels but that doesn’t mean that Chicago can’t have it’s current Snorkels rehabbed and remounted by another apparatus manufacturer.
If American LaFrance is selling off it’s Snorkels, then I would like to see them sell the rights to a manufacturer that is willing to sell and market them.
As far as Bronto SkyLifts being used in place of the Snorkels on our Snorkel Squads, the SkyLifts are too large and to cumbersome to be assigned to the Snorkel Squads. They need a smaller Snorkel or a platform of less then 75 feet which can be maneuvered in tight places such as alleys and even in courtyards of apartment buildings as that’s how we sometimes use our 55-foot Snorkels. Chicago’s Snorkel Squads also need adequate cabinet space on their apparatus to carry the squad and heavy rescue equipment.
#3 by Jacob on March 20, 2011 - 10:41 PM
Is these a possibility for the CFD when they want to replace the squads? I saw somewhere that the company no longer offers the models that they have now and that they are selling off the older ones so they couldn’t refurb them.
#4 by Bill Post on March 18, 2011 - 5:40 PM
I suppose that this means that E/One will no longer be the United States representative and marketer of the Bronto Skylift. This is indeed major news as under E/One the tallest Bronto Skylift that was being offered was 135 feet and now under Pierce they will be marketing a taller 165 foot platform in addition to the 135 foot ,114 foot and 100 foot models.
It is interesting to note the Bronto Skylift whose headquarters in Finland is very popular overseas and in the European and Asian markets they offer much taller “Sky Lift’s” with the tallest one being 367 feet.
One of the things to remember is that in Europe and Asia most of the aerial devices (both ladders and platforms) are usually specialty vehicles that are used solely for the aerial device, while the “Truck work” (search, ventilation, and overhaul) is usually done by ordinary fire (pumper and squad) crews.