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Ainscough Crane Hire’s Preston depot has removed a redundant 130-tonne kiln section and replaced it with its successor on behalf Grayton Engineering and Hanson Cement Works in Ribblesdale, Clitheroe. A fiercely competitive tender, Ainscough were able to demonstrate their engineering
expertise and lifting capabilities to secure the contract.
Incredibly complex in nature, the project itself took 18 months of planning and engineering from first accepting the job and surveying the site to planning and arriving at the lift. This is due to confined operating area, its location on a slope, and the extremely large nature and weight of the kiln section itself.
Ainscough arrived on site on the 8th of January to begin rigging and employed the use of 24m of heavy duty EKKI mats to create a level platform for the 800t lattice boom crane, the heaviest crane in the company’s arsenal, to operate on. In total, the crane had a very snug 18m of space to fit into, with outriggers positioned between 1 and 1.5m in width to balance the slope. The kiln sections, used to dry wet cement, themselves were 22m long and 4.6m wide.
Taking three days to rig, once deployed, the crane operated with limited jib length, a radius of 26.5m and only a metre spare to raise the boom. A further challenge the team overcame was having movements limited by the presence of a gas main in front of the kiln. The lift itself took ten days, with two being written off due to high winds. Ainscough left site on the 20th of January.
Graham Lindley, Site Manager at the Ribblesdale site, said: “As the UK’s leading crane hire company, we pride ourselves on being able to accept pretty much any job. This project, however, was the ultimate test of our expertise. There were many factors at play with severe consequences for mismanagement, but by adhering to our Make the Safe Choice principles we completed the job with minimal complications.
“However, through rigorous planning and perfect execution, we were able to safely and properly remove and install the kiln sections. I’m incredibly proud of the team for the professionalism displayed throughout the process. I’d also like to thank Grayton Engineering and Hanson Cement for their close collaboration, brilliant organisations to work with who enabled us to complete our work smoothly and safely.”
Cody Sixsmith, Account Manager at Ainscough said: “This difficult project underlines so much of what makes Ainscough unique in our offering. We’re the number one lifting solutions company in the UK for a reason, through our industry-leading lift experts, our drive to succeed and through to our collaborative work with customers to deliver the best service for them. I’m proud of my team for their commitment in securing such a competitive job and exhibiting why Ainscough is best at what we do.”
