Rapid International Ltd

 

Rapid International have recently completed another new silo installation for Ronez, part of the Aggregate Industries group. This time the installation was on the Island of Jersey, which presented a number of operating obstacles to overcome in order to complete.

The Island is a popular resort for tourists, which is why the Authorities have such tight controls over the moving of large plant and equipment.  In order to preserve a pleasant environment for local and tourist traffic, it is not possible to move large loads around the Island during certain hours, nor is it possible without the correct local authority permit.  In order to obtain this permit the contractor has to convince the authorities that any large load is capable of reaching its destination without interfering with any roadside architecture or residential property. This was undertaken by the Rapid Transport Manager Mr Tom Moore.

With the permit firmly grasped, the next objective was to acquire the local Police escort licence and time slot for travelling. With all transport obstacles overcome the silo and ancillary equipment was effectively brought up to the Ronez quarry, set in the north of the Island in St. John.The Rapid designed silo was to be positioned to the lower side of the mixing plant, so it could be installed without too much interference with the daily consumption of ready mixed concrete.

With the new silo sited, the biggest problem facing the installation team was removing the old, very tall, very rusty and very unsafe old silo.
The hired in access platform was a very competent slave, but unfortunately it was not big enough to reach to the top of the old silo, so a 70 ft Simon snorkel was quickly drafted in, to allow one of the installation team access to the top in order to couple the crane slings to the lifting lugs. Not a job for the faint hearted.

With the light on a downward slide the team had to work quickly before it disappeared. Once lifted off its mounting, the old silo was soon dispatched to a lonesome grave on the ground, where the full extent of its rusty shell could be examined, before unceremoniously breaking into two halves when being moved by the site loading shovel. The whole job was completed within the allocated time without any loss to production
The project was again supervised by Rapid’s own installation manager Gordon Mackley. The ready mixed site manager, Mr Steve LeLouarn and his resident engineering team offered invaluable support to the project when assistance was required. The electrical and control system was again installed by the very competent Pneutrol team.

Another successful installation completed in time and in budget in difficult coastal conditions, although the sun did manage to make an appearance just as the well earned lunch break took off.