Tanfield Group plc is unifying global marketing of its aerial work platforms under the Snorkel brand and discontinuing use of the UpRight Powered Access identity.

"We have spent the past three years harmonising these two distinct brands," says Darren Kell, chief executive officer of Tanfield in Washington, United Kingdom. "The time is right to give the company a unified, global identity."

The organisation will continue to support all existing UpRight machines in the field although it will no longer use the UpRight name in marketing aerial lifts.

The Tanfield powered access division had operated both brands and, since 2007, used separate territorial responsibilities, different product portfolios and different model designations for UpRight and Snorkel.

Tanfield manufactured its own Aerial Access-brand trailer-mounted boom lifts before it acquired UpRight Powered Access in June 2006 and Snorkel International Inc in July 2007.

Tanfield's strategy is to build equipment close to end markets to reduce shipping costs.

Now, Snorkel-brand production facilities are located in Elwood, Kansas, USA for North America and South America; Washington, UK for Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Levin, New Zealand and China for the Asia Pacific region.

Tanfield issued a spreadsheet for nine product types and listed those models transitioning to the Snorkel brand from UpRight, certain new lifts and additions to the range of Snorkel equipment and some replacement units for discontinued machines.

Soon, new models will include the T60RT and T66RT telescopic booms and the A62JRT diesel articulated boom. New Snorkel models will replace four UpRight electric slab scissors being discontinued. Snorkel is adding a self-drive system to its TS2461SD trailer scissor.

UpRight's history extends back more than six decades. Inventive mechanical engineer Wallace Johnson of Berkeley, California created adjustable scaffolding in 1946 and a mobile aerial work platform in 1972, initially with a factory in Selma, California. UpRight manufacturing of trailer-mount, push-around and vertical mast aerial work platforms has occurred in the UK and to a limited degree in China.

Snorkel was founded in 1958 as Snorkel Fire Equipment Co and entered the construction and industrial market in 1977 with a telescoping aerial work platform. Snorkel manufacturing of aerial work and vertical mast access platforms and boom and scissor lifts has occurred in Elwood and Levin.

"Going forward, Snorkel embodies the core values of both companies," says Kell. At the same time, "UpRight has a proud history and one that we will continue to cherish."

Tanfield's zero-emission vehicles division manufactures commercial vans and trucks under the Smith Electric Vehicles brand. Tanfield shares trade on the London Stock Exchange.