Johnson Arabia expands AWP fleet, opens second branch in Oman
Rental giant expecting delivery of 112 JLG and Genie units, with the majority to be deployed in new Muscat location
Johnson Arabia has announced a simultaneous expansion of its regional geographical footprint and its aerial work platform (AWP) fleet, augmenting its number of units with 112 new AWPs, most of which will be deployed in its new location in Muscat, Oman.
The regional equipment rental powerhouse said in a statement that it is soon to take delivery of the 112 new machines, which will complement its existing fleet across the group. The delivery will comprise the latest models from the two leading access equipment manufacturers JLG and Genie. The units will start to arrive this month and continue to arrive in batches over the next three months.
“After successfully navigating the tough markets in 2020, Johnson Arabia has proved to be a leader in the rental industry and in now expanding its fleet. This investment strengthens the company’s ambition to get to a fleet size of 1,000 machines by the close of 2021,” said the statement, adding that the majority of the purchased machines will be delivered to their new location in Muscat and an existing location in Duqm, with the remaining units delivered to their headquarters in the UAE, to help meet growing demand.
Johnson Arabia attributed the high local demand to its “superior service and support”, with workshop manager Paul Farrell saying: “Since our move from Al Quoz to Dubai Industrial city in late 2019, we have been able to refine and modernise our already impeccable service. This is mainly because of a new larger workshop and new talented workforce that has joined the team.”
The company added that the growth in Oman is also driven by the fact that Johnson Arabia is already a well-known name in the rental industry there for about 10 years for cranes and has now started to focus equally on AWP supply. To further help this expansion Johnson Arabia has increased its sales and operations team in the Sultanate and is exploring new project avenues, specifically in oil & gas.
Gareth Conley, executive manager for AWP, added: “In spite of the dip in utilisation in 2020, we are seeing a higher demand in the market. Along with the UAE, we have also welcomed an increase in requests in Muscat and Duqm in the oil & gas and construction sectors. This increase in fleet is to not only supplement this demand but to also increase our footprint in Oman.”
