Modulift have designed and manufactured their largest to date lifting rig for the fast and efficient lifting of giant wind turbines to be used offshore. The rig needed to unload and assemble the power generators then reload them back onto the barges part assembled, for the installation process in the Irish sea, creating a need for a rig that could multi-task.

Modulift’s remit was to design a rig which could not only lift the individual turbines and towers separately and assembled, but also lift three wind turbine blades in one go enabling the blades to stay in their calibrated sets for each turbine, at all times. At 661 tonnes and 160 metres above sea level when installed, these wind generators are amongst the largest in the world. Using the same principles of their existing standard products, Modulift succeeded in engineering a safe, lightweight, and cost-effective solution allowing for the load to continuously move over 3 months.

To provide a solution which achieved the objectives required, Modulift designed a rig consisting of three elements which could be used in various configurations for the transportation and installation process of the various wind turbine components. The first is a giant 500t lifting beam, 16 metres long. Due to the nature of the lift and the need for minimizing the overall weight of the rig itself, Modulift had to be able to design and build the beam to weigh less than 40 tonnes without compromising its capabilities. The lifting beam was also designed to include inspection hatches, so that engineers could inspect the welds at regular intervals due to the constant use of the rig. The beam was built to ensure that these hatches would not compromise the strength of the beam. The beam was an exciting milestone for Modulift, proving their technical achievements in designing highly engineered lifting equipment to provide the ultimate solution for lifts of this size.
The second was another feat of engineering for Modulift in the design and fabrication of a 48.5m spreader that weighed no more than 9.6 tonnes to maximise the capacity of the cranes. The beam had to be easy to assemble in situ and capable of lifting the wind turbine blades, which in their set of three weigh 75 tonnes and span 63 metres. These blades when assembled to make a complete rotor are two acres in area!

“We are proud to be able to say that we designed and manufactured this solution. We spent a lot of time planning the best solution for their requirements and still needed to be able to turn this project around in a record time of approximately 12 weeks. With the barges already on their way from Europe we had to battle against the weather to get the components finished and transported on time to enable the project to stay on schedule. Luckily the dedication of all parties involved enabled both the Lifting Beam and the Lattice Spreader to be delivered, tested and commissioned in time for its first use”, said Sue Caples, Operations Director and Head of Engineering at Modulift.
As demand for heavy lifting is set to increase, with Modulift receiving a record number of orders for it’s MOD 400 so far in 2011, the Marine ship yard are expecting to use their new 500 tonne lifting beam on many projects to come.
In addition Modulift are now standardizing their new “giant” Lattice Spreaders for future customers looking to lift very long loads up to 100 tonnes, keeping the same passion, accountability, and quality of their existing products.

For more information, or for details on the Modulift range you can contact Zoe Taylor on +44 (0)1202 621511.

Modulift is pleased to announce (as part of our growing distributor network) the recent appointment of RSS Ltd in Wales.

Based in Bridgend, Wales, RSS, is one of the largest independent companies in the field of lifting equipment engineering in Wales and the South West of England, with over 100 years experience in supplying, servicing, proof load testing and hiring mechanical solutions. RSS selected Modulift as the most qualified, certified and well recognised option of safe, quality and innovatively designed spreader beams solutions to be offered as one of their quality products within the Welsh market.
‘We are sure to continue lifting our sales by providing an excellent quality range of safe solutions as the one offered by Modulift” – Steve Hutin – RSS Managing Director.
Modulift is the preferred choice by the worlds leading crane, rigging and transportation companies. By expanding our distribution network around the world we can increase the ability to offer a express delivery service. Modulift prides its self on being able to offer a complete lifting engineering service from start to finish. We can help you solve your lifting problems, advise on rig planning, design custom lifting equipment or manufacture quality-assured products to the highest specifications. In order to keep up with the industry’s demand, Modulift has high levels of stock which enables a fast turnaround.
“One of the key elements of our distributors success is their ability to maintain reasonable quantity of our products in stock. This enables them to react and supply their customers on demand, and our customer gets the best service.” – Sarah Spivey – Modulift’s Managing Director.

Expanding its network to add an eleventh international distributor, Modulift is delighted to announce the appointment of CEA Projects Ltd (CEA) as it’s distributor covering Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Korea and Australia.

As an economy, the SE Asia region is growing at an expediential rate moving large volumes of breakbulk, servicing heavy industry manufacture and managing large engineering projects throughout SE Asia and Oceania. The shear volume of work necessitates a significant stock portfolio of Modulift products to be held locally to meet the growing demand for lifting equipment.

Sarah Spivey, CEO commented, “When I first met CEA I was very impressed with the work they are doing and the size of the operation. These guys are experts in their field and wonderful to work with. I am delighted that they are going to work with us to promote Modulift and we are all looking forward to what’s going to happen now there is to be significant stock in this part of the world. CEA will be holding spreaders capable of lifting up to 600 tonnes at 12 metres so whatever the project, they will have a beam available for fast delivery.”

With CEA offering a fully holistic service throughout SE Asia and Australia, with services including heavy lift and engineering, storage and handling, project logistics and cargo consolidation, Modulift are thrilled to appoint such a “hands on” company to manage their business in this part of the world.

“We are very excited by this collaboration with Modulift, we have already planned a series of events to promote Modulift to all our customers and can’t wait to get started” says CEA’s Managing Director, Kevin Fisher.

Modulift is pleased to announce that is has joined The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) as a Full Member.
“We are delighted to have become members of LEEA, as we feel that we share the same standards in health and safety, training and development, amongst many other attributes,” says Modulift’s CEO Sarah Spivey.
For more information, or for details on the Modulift range you can contact Zoe Taylor on +44 (0)1202 621511.

Expanding its network to add a sixth international distributor, Modulift is delighted to announce the appointment of Alnasr Technical Trading Agencies (ATTA) as exclusive distributor in the UAE.
While Modulift already commands a significant presence in the UAE, supplying to such established companies as Al Jaber Heavy Lift, Modulift was keen to expand its sales network with the addition of a local distributor.
“It is important to Modulift to ensure that customers receive their orders as promptly as possible,” says Modulift’s CEO, Sarah Spivey. “With a trusted distributor, stock can be held in the UAE, dispatched more quickly and have a more prompt delivery time. This will allow us to meet customers’ lifting requirements in the shortest time possible.”
Thanks to Abu Dhabi-based ATTA’s exemplary record in a number of fields – in particular Oil and Gas, where they are approved by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) group of companies – Modulift is confident that the new relationship will be a great benefit to both companies. ATTA received their first delivery of Modulift stock in June, and are already sold out of several sizes.
“We are very excited by this collaboration with Modulift, which will enable a fantastic product to be offered from stock in the UAE along with an experienced and well-established distributor” says ATTA’s Business Development Manager Malcolm Peacock.
“I look forward to being able to develop this working relationship and hope that the addition of Modulift products to ATTA’s portfolio will open new doors for both companies,” continues Spivey. “Both companies share the same inclination to supply high quality lifting equipment, and together we feel that we can successfully develop sales within the UAE.”

Modulift UK Ltd is pleased to announce that it has been recently awarded ISO 9001: 2008 certification for Quality Management Systems. The ISO certification recognises Modulift’s commitment to product and service quality and customer satisfaction as well as to continuously improving its quality management system.

As Modulift is dedicated to providing high quality services and goods, it was felt that achieving ISO 9001 certification would cement Modulift’s reputation as a supplier of premium products.
“The independent validation of our quality management system by NQA provides assurance to our customers that Modulift is committed to quality,” explains Simon Cranny, Modulift’s Production and QA Manager. “Our quality procedures have been developed and implemented to ensure that we offer the highest quality products and services to our customers.”
To achieve certification, Modulift demonstrated a comprehensive and effective quality management system, and was evaluated throughout every phase of its operations, from enquiry and quotation through to design, procurement, production, testing and training. The evaluation also included a thorough audit of all policies and practices, confirming that they are applied with a commitment towards ongoing improvement.

Simon Cranny continues: “We are committed to continual improvement of our system, products and services and achieve this by complying with procedures and identifying opportunities for improvement.”

Due to the global demand for professionally trained riggers and lifting managers, Modulift have launched their training division to provide expert advice and instruction to the lifting industry and companies operating a lifting division.
As safety standards improve around the world, companies are increasingly aware that they need to comply with health and safety regulations outlined in LOLER ‘98 (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulation). This requires that lifting equipment operators must be fully trained in the use of the lifting equipment they use, and with over 20 years experience in both onshore and offshore lifting, Modulift are confident that they are specialists within their field, and understand that safety and efficiency are paramount.
CEO Sarah Spivey explains: “We are delighted that Modulift are able to offer such services to ensure that firms are lifting in a safe, effective and legitimate manner. We can provide training to suit a variety of different levels of personnel, from riggers to supervisors and senior management. To enable us to be able to cover a wide range of training requirements, Modulift have devised a series of courses covering a variety of lifting equipment, including our own modular spreader systems. Custom training courses are also available to suit the most specific of requirements. While LOLER training is used in the UK and is being adopted as the preferred standard worldwide, we are happy to train to any standards that are country or continent-specific.”
All training courses, from User and Application to Lifting and Rigging courses aim to ensure both experienced and inexperienced trainees gain a thorough understanding of products, uses and applications. One such company that felt that Modulift could meet their training requirements is The Jordan Oil Shale Company (JOSCO), a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. The significant “hands-on” practical content of the four-day Lifting and Rigging Practical Training course was deemed ideal for the 30 JOSCO trainees. Daniel Hooft, Head of Drilling and Logistics at JOSCO says “Lifting and Hoisting is recognised as one of the highest risk areas in our industry, and one of the greatest causes of incidents that hurt people or damage assets. We wanted to address this seriously from the start of our brand-new operation, so that a culture of safe and thoughtful work is instilled in our staff from day one.”
Existing JOSCO projects were integrated with the training program, as were Shell lifting procedures. Trainees came away from the course at JOSCO headquarters in Amman, Jordan with extensive knowledge of lifting and rigging procedures, including legislation, lifting accessories and lifting planning. “The training is a very good mix of theoretical and practical,” continues Daniel. “The quality of our goods handling and our awareness of lifting and hoisting issues and opportunities has significantly improved due to this training.”

Modulift are pleased to announce that Delta Rigging & Tools have become the latest Distributor to come on board in North America, covering 10 states including Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Louisiana.

Recognising the wide range of uses for modular spreader beams, Delta’s stock includes the whole range from the QJ lifting 2 tons at 4ft to the MOD 400 lifting between 200 and 700 tons at spans up to 76ft, providing all customers with fast delivery times and direct local contacts.

Delta are including a rental division as part of their distributor service, to encourage people to try Modulift Spreader Beams before they invest in their own stock.

James Kowalik, President of Delta Rigging & Tools, said “We are delighted to be representing Modulift. The engineering design behind the products makes it the ultimate choice for lifting professionals. As well as standard product enquiries, we are already receiving additional enquiries for custom designed products, as people desperately want the level of engineering Modulift can offer.”

In a time of financial uncertainty and a decline in engineering orders by 5.2% , one company is thriving. Global engineering company Modulift is experiencing its busiest period ever, and as a result is expanding its production division, alongside developing new distribution channels.
“The number of enquiries for custom designed products has continued to grow, flouting the current economic slowdown,” says Sarah Spivey, CEO of Modulift. “In order to keep up with customer demand, we are expanding our engineering division in order to concentrate on research and product development. This is a very exciting development, as we are planning on expanding our product range to include high capacity lifting beams, link bar systems, trunnion shackles and sling release systems. For our customers, this means greater convenience, reduced expense and quicker rigging times.”
With over 20 years experience in both onshore and offshore lifting, Modulift believe that its team are extremely well placed to provide the technical knowledge to advise customers what their best options are. Whether there is an offset centre of gravity or they require multiple-point lifts, more customers are discovering that they have complex requirements that standard lifting solutions can’t accommodate.
“When bespoke products are required, we work very closely with the customer to develop a mutually agreeable solution that meets both their budget and technical needs,” continues Sue Caples, Modulift’s Operations Director. “We are also planning on doubling the size of our current team, enabling us to answer customer enquiries even more quickly than before.”

Always looking for opportunities to expand into new markets, global engineering company Modulift were delighted when they went mining and struck granite!
Granitos Iberica, one of the biggest granite companies in Spain were having major problems with the lifting of their granite blocks. The process used was damaging the blocks due to the stresses the blocks were put under.
Modulift were able to identify the problem quickly. “Granitos Iberica were using 2 single leg bridle chain slings in a twin basket sling arrangement with shortening hooks at the top to adjust for each sized stone” says Paul Ryder, a Design Engineer with Modulift. “This arrangement was unsuitable for lifting blocks in a variety of sizes, as the sling angles were vastly increased. The included sling angle at the top of the lifting rig was highly undesirable, approaching 120° in some cases. This caused damage by crushing the blocks and caused higher stress in the chain slings.”
By choosing a Modulift spreader beam, lighter chain slings were required and the sling angles were improved, providing a more stable and safer lift. An additional advantage of using the Modulift spreader is the ability to adjust the size of the spreader to lift different sized blocks; the modular configuration allows operators to position the drop slings more accurately and more safely. Using the drop slings in a vertical basket sling arrangement also causes less damage to the stone blocks, which reduces fiscal loss – a factor which pleased Granitos Iberica.
The success of the solution was clear to see. The spreader beam was rented for two weeks for Granitos Iberica to trial, and to see if it would fulfil their needs. Three weeks later they purchased the beam, as it was felt that this was a safer, more convenient way to lift.
Modulift are the first company to make modular spreader beams widely available to a global market, and in Spain the trend for this solution throughout the Spanish mining industry is growing, with both Granitos Levantina and Granitos Granilouro now following in the footsteps of Granitos Iberica.
Joe Chavez of Modulift’s Spanish and Portugese Distributor Pescaira S.L. says: “We are delighted that Modulift Spreader Beams are making their way into the Spanish mining industry. Their modular system makes them reusable for a number of different loads, making them incredibly cost effective. The Spanish market has realised that Modulift Spreaders are the best option due to the cost reductions in damaged stone”.