Recently, lifting and hoisting equipment specialist Liftal successfully completed a large project in Yerseke, the epicentre of the Dutch mussel and oyster farming and processing industry. One of their customers needed a new overhead travelling crane, as it was becoming evident that the original one needed replacing.
Liftal decided to assemble and test the crane on the ground before installation.
Mr Hans Hirdes, Managing Director of Liftal Vlissingen explains: “Krijn Verwijs have been clients for years; we take care of the inspection and maintenance of their overhead travelling crane. This crane is crucial to the processing of the fished mussels, as it is used for unloading the mussel containers from the vessels. Without the crane, the process of cleaning, sorting and packing the mussels cannot even get started and this really is a problem in a 24/7 industry.” Mr Paul Kuipers, Unit Manager Industry at Liftal continues, “With the use of calculations, we explained to our client that the maintenance costs of their existing crane were running too high and that continuity was at stake. Once convinced of the need for replacement, Krijn Verwijs gave us the go-ahead and together with the manufacturer of the new crane, an exciting project was started that lasted more than twelve months. We had to deal with some interesting challenges, as the crane operates in a wet, salty and cold climate, literally on the border between land and water. On top of this, the space between the rails and the rooftop of the hall is relatively small, making the installation a high-precision job, not least considering the 22m span of the 2 x 8.0t crane.”
Thorough preparation
The success of the project was the result of thorough preparation. Mr Hirdes: “The actual installation of the crane took us only one hour, inclusive of the removal of the old crane. We were able to limit the production stop for Krijn Verwijs through very intense and careful preparations together with the crane contractor and the technical department of Krijn Verwijs. During the actual lifting we had two obstacles: the first one was the lifting operation with two floating cranes, operating in shallow water; good coordination between the crane operators and the engineers receiving the crane at height was crucial. The second obstacle was the placement of the new crane on the existing rails; although well-prepared, it was a relief to see that things fitted into place, with everything tallying as planned and measured.” “Krijn Verwijs didn’t want to take any risks and decided to keep the old crane, until there was a hundred per cent certainty that the new one would fit. But now the old crane is dismantled. Most of it is being scrapped and recycled; some components are being overhauled after thorough inspection,” Mr Kuipers says with a smile.
Assembling on the ground
The assembly and installation of the crane took Liftal four days. On Tuesday, three trucks arrived in Yerseke with the components of the crane. Mr Kuipers: “We didn’t want Krijn Verwijs to lose production time, so we decided to assemble and test the crane on the ground before installation. This way, the existing crane could continue operating for as long as possible. In our schedule we had time until Saturday, but in the end we could already start installing the crane on Friday. First we had to remove the old crane, which in fact was quite easy, as we could simply lift it and remove it from the rails. Then the new crane was installed using the floating cranes, after which it could be commissioned and tested.”
With the new crane, Krijn Verwijs can enjoy limited maintenance requirements long into the future.
A growing list
“After installing the crane on its rails in the top of the production hall, the rest was simple. On our way back to the office in Vlissingen, around 45km from Yerseke, Krijn Verwijs called us to tell us the new overhead travelling crane had already lifted its first container. Our aim is not only to supply a product or service, but also to think along with our clients. With our experience and knowledge of hoisting, but also considering the special circumstances at Krijn Verwijs’ production facility and their requirements, we were able to coordinate and execute the project successfully. With the new crane, Krijn Verwijs can enjoy limited maintenance requirements long into the future, and that was our primary goal. It is good to see that more and more companies in and around Vlissingen value our working methods, resulting in a growing list of successfully installed cranes,” Mr Hirdes proudly concludes.
