Forkrent has ordered 150 Manitou MT625 compact telehandlers.

A UK plant hire company says its new machine order is the world's largest single order for Manitou MT625 telehandlers.

Forkrent, which is based in Ipswich, Suffolk, ordered 150 Manitou MT625 compact telehandlers at the end of last year, increasing its total order for the machines to 200 in 2014.

The four-wheel drive, 2.5 T capacity telehandler offers a lift height of just under 6 m (19.7 ft.) and a forward reach capability of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft.). It has three steering modes and its tight turning circle is suited for working in restricted building sites. According to Forkrent, customer feedback for the telehandlers focused on the speed of hydraulics, the two-speed hydrostatic drive and the MT625's reliability and flexibility, as well as improved productivity and efficiency.

Forkrent ordered all the Manitou MT625 telehandlers with air conditioning as standard, responding to customer demand for increased operator comfort.

The plant hire firm also has Manitou ATJ articulated boom platforms in its fleet, as well as a fully restored Manitou MT425CP from the late 1980s.

General manager of operations Gareth Clements says: "Our vision is to offer fast, nationwide delivery of plant-hire machinery including telehandlers, excavators, access, dumpers, rollers and forklifts, backed up by a customer service department which is second to none.

"We pride ourselves on the fact that we have one of the youngest fleets of machines and that they are to highest specification as standard ... Air conditioning is becoming a big part of health and safety on sites so all of our machines that have a cab include air conditioning."

Telehandlers are Forkrent's core product. It has over 3,000 units, including the JCB brand in its fleet. The company's hire fleet also includes backhoe loaders, JCB rough-terrain forklifts, access equipment, excavators, dumpers, rollers and
utility vehicles.

To keep pace with its growing business, Forkrent plans to complete building a new 40 ac. (16 ha) purpose-built site in the outskirts of Ipswich within the next two years. The company says it has experienced double-digit year-on-year growth over the last six years; its total fleet size has expanded and additional staff have been employed.

Forkrent is a family-owned company, with brother-and-sister team Guy and Trudi Nicholls as directors.