Refining giant takes delivery of its largest Valla crane

One of the UK’s biggest oil refining and fuels companies has taken delivery of its largest Valla pick and carry crane yet.

Essar has been using Valla mini cranes for machinery and facilities maintenance tasks for more than 20 years.

Hird has supplied the company with a new Manitex Valla 90D pick and carry crane for use at its giant Stanlow Refinery Ellesmere Port in Cheshire.

The refinery plays a strategic role in the UK economy, supplying 16% of all road transport fuels.

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Hird Sales and After-sales Manager Carl Cooper said: “We are delighted to continue to support Essar with their lifting requirements. The quality and durability of Valla mini cranes are key factors in their success at the Stanlow Refinery site.

“As oil refining and fuel production are continuous production processes, companies like Essar need to be sure of the reliability of their maintenance equipment, and Valla pick and carry cranes deliver on that score.”

The new Valla 90D industrial mini crane has a maximum safe working limit (SWL) of 9 tonnes. It has a maximum tip height of 8 metres, at which point in can lift 2.8 tonnes. It also has a maximum radius of 5.5 metres.

The diesel-powered pick and carry crane is designed specifically for operating in industrial environments. Its compact crane design makes it ideal for lifting in confined spaces.

This is supported by power steering operated through a telescopic hydraulic ram fitted between the articulated steering unit and the crane frame. This allows 140-degree steering.

The Valla 90D pick and carry crane is fitted with a COBO 3B6 digital load monitoring system as standard to support optimum safe lifting performance.

The mini crane will be used by Essar’s refinery maintenance teams for a wide ranging of maintenance tasks, including replacing valves, installing new pipe work and repair of fluid and air pumps.

It is one of a fleet of Manitex Valla mini cranes being operated at the Stanlow refinery. Others include a Valla 75D pick and carry crane, with a SWL of 7.5 tonnes, a Valla 50D mini crane, with a SWL of 5 tonnes, and a Valla 20 mini crane, with a SWL of 2 tonnes.

Carl Cooper said: “The Valla 75D mini crane has just been fully refurbished by us for Essar. The quality of these cranes enhances their longevity and their ability to be refurbished and upgraded.

“This creates a major cost and operational benefits for companies like Essar, which want to demonstrate the sustainability of their crane fleets.

“We are also able to support customers with a high quality on-site mobile crane maintenance service, so the down-time for their machines while they are being services or repaired is kept to a minimum.”

For more information about Valla pick and carry mini cranes, contact Carl Cooper today. Telephone: 01482 227333 Email: [email protected].