Lifting Gear UK has developed a new Lifting Tray product as a safer way of lifting construction plant, which is now in use at projects including Tideway, Hinkley Point and HS2.
The product was designed developed and manufactured as a collaboration between Lifting Gear UK Group companies Lifting Projects UK and Steelwise as a bespoke solution for lifting larger items of plant whilst still being easily transportable from site to site.
The final product design, which incorporates adjustable lifting arms to provide for wider lifts but which can be retracted for easier transport, was developed for Tideway as part of the Tideway Central contract, covering delivery of the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, from Fulham to Blackfriars, by a joint venture of Ferrovial Agroman UK Ltd and Laing O’Rourke Construction.
Due to its success, usage of the Lifting Tray has become a preferred method by Tideway for use in appropriate lifts.
Started in 2015 and anticipated for completion in 2024, the Thames Tideway Tunnel project involves the construction of a 25km tunnel under the London river, that will prevent the current tens of millions of tonnes of pollution from going into the river Thames each year.
Steelwise Technical Manager Alistair Clark took a lead role in developing the Lifting Tray. He said: “The main challenge for us was coming up with a design that allowed for larger items of plant to be lifted without making a product that was so big that it would be difficult to transport from site to site. The adjustable lifting arms on the tray combated this issue. The solution we provided has delivered maximum productivity for the client and has made it safer and easier to carry out such works.”
With its headquarters in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, the Lifting Gear UK Group spans across 11 depots throughout the UK. The group is made up of four companies: Lifting Gear UK, Lifting Projects UK, Steelwise and Lifting Gear Training UK.
Lifting Gear UK provides hire, sales and service for a comprehensive range of lifting products and equipment. Lifting Projects UK provides planning, equipment and project management consultancy services. Steelwise provides design and fabrication of lifting equipment and bespoke equipment to meet difficult challenges for which solutions do not already exist and often works alongside clients to develop new systems of lifting to meet specific needs. Lifting Gear Training UK offers a comprehensive range of training services for the lifting sector.
Lifting Gear UK Operations Director Chris Turner said: “We are really proud to have developed the Lifting Tray to meet such a specific but also common need in the construction industry and to have its successful use see it become company policy for some of our clients.
“Its development pays testimony to our collaborative approach with clients to overcoming lifting challenges. If a solution doesn’t currently exist, we will develop it and manufacture it to the highest standards with safety always our number one priority.”
