Access equipment company Star Platforms invests £2m in new powered gear

An access equipment business headquartered in Luton has invested seven figures to acquire hundreds of pieces of working-at-height equipment.

Star Platforms spent £2m on new gear to support the launch of its fifth depot in Thetford, Norfolk, where it has created five jobs.

The 400 items acquired will be shared across its branch network, which includes sites in Luton, Leicestershire, Berkshire and Kent.

Following the investment, Star Platforms now has 1,500 pieces of equipment for hire – double the number it had in 2016. Its range includes scissor lifts, cherry pickers and low-level platforms.

Richard Miller, managing director of Star Platforms, said: “We have a large demand from existing customers to supply equipment in the Anglia region, and, with no Access Alliance member covering the area, we were compromising the service we offer with no managed supply chain.

“We therefore took the decision to open a depot in Thetford which has excellent road links to all parts of Anglia including Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Essex and beyond.”

Stephen Carman, newly appointed general manager at the Thetford depot, commented: “I worked with the senior management team of Star Platforms during my time with Nationwide Platforms and watched with interest as this quality business was being built.

“When Richard approached me about working with Star Platforms at the brand new Thetford depot it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”

He added: “We are now open for business and I look forward to supplying our customers with quality equipment and a first-rate service across the Anglian region.”