News Editor’s Comment
The Materials Handling Engineers Association kindly invited me along to their site visit to British Sugar’s
Wissington
plant. From a journalistic point of view, a site visit really is the most valuable form of education. To see equipment in action and forming part of a plant process (as opposed to a static display at an exhibition) is overwhelming and a definite perk of the job.
The one thing that really surprised me about British Sugar is the amount of pies it has its fingers in -– and the basic sugar production process is just the start. The output of each process is the input to the next, producing a wide range of products such as topsoil, animal feed and tomatoes! What an efficient operation.
So a big thank you to the MHEA and to British Sugar for giving me the opportunity to see the operation. The write up will follow in the next issue. Speaking of the next issue, it pains me to do this so early (especially as I am in favour of keeping Christmas confined to December), but as this is the last issue of the year I would like to wish all our readers a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Kelly Rose, Editor
kellyrose@quartzltd.com Complex silo installation
Braby, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of process systems and engineering solutions, has completed a project for Loadhog based in Sheffield. Bristol-based Braby designed, manufactured and installed three new silos to store glass-reinforced polymer for Loadhog, producers of cost effective, environmentally friendly returnable packaging solutions. The innovative and award-winning company has combined two group businesses into one significantly larger facility.
The 7.5 metre high silos installed within the new Loadhog plant was a complex task due to the distance between the plant entry and final instillation position. Once inside, the silos were carefully manoeuvred around pillars and other integral structural objects using a synchronised forward facing mobile crane and reverse facing folk lift truck until they
reached the final destination.
Limited headroom meant conventional methods to erect the silos could not be undertaken. Braby completed an alternative method by attaching lifting lugs to the lower side structure of the silo, not on top as is normal. With a crane using a straddling spreader bar the three silos were then individually positioned and installed onto their loadcell assemblies. Glass reinforced polymer is a hard and abrasive matter that quickly wears standard pipelines, meaning the inclusion of reinforced pipe bends within the installation was crucial. The hardened bends offer increased durability and are larger and heavier than that of the standard offering to increase the lifespan of the filling system at the plant. This complex installation took a total of two days to complete and included a part-exchange of two of Loadhog's existing silos.
Les Neath, operations director at Braby, commented: “The
installation was a complex one which was very challenging but rewarding for the team. It included careful dual cranage, building modifications and very specific criteria to be met for the completion.” Rob Deakin, engineering manager at Loadhog, commented: “The end solution is very fitting for the new Loadhog building. It has ticked all the boxes.”
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