Red Rooster Lifting supported a major infrastructure programme at Hinkley Point, working alongside Balfour Beatty and EDF UK. We supplied eleven 2 tonne air hoists and a custom lifting solution that included a bespoke multi-hoist control panel. This equipment enabled safe and repeatable lifts during a complex tunnel shaft construction sequence. The equipment enabled a key part of a complex tunnel shaft construction programme.
Project Background
The project involved the creation of tunnel shaft connections within a highly controlled environment. A key part of this operation required the repeated lifting and positioning of a large circular shuttering pan up a vertical shaft between successive concrete pours.
This work happened directly beneath a seawater-exclusion plug, so the lifting system had to deliver consistent precision and absolute reliability.
To see more of our support at Hinkley Point, you can also view our previous Balfour Beatty project
The Lifting Challenge
The shuttering pan needed to be raised smoothly and safely in confined conditions. Operators also needed simultaneous multi-hoist control to keep each lift stable and balanced. At the same time, they required individual hoist selection for fine alignment as the pan reached its set position.
Additionally, the operators needed a separate system to lift goods between platform levels through trapdoors within the shaft.
Our Custom Lifting Solution
To meet these operational and technical demands, we supplied 11 air hoists. These hoists were arranged as two sets of five hoists, plus one spare unit to ensure operational continuity. Our engineering team developed a custom-designed control panel, which enabled the client to select and operate the hoists either individually or simultaneously. This feature meant precise, flexible multi-point lifting capability within the shaft.
- 4 hoists in each set were used in tandem to lift the circular shuttering pan between concrete pours.
- The 5th hoist in each set acted as a dedicated goods hoist, transferring materials to various platform levels through trapdoors in the shaft.
- The spare hoist ensured consistent operation in the event of maintenance or unforeseen issues.
Outcome
The equipment played a critical role in enabling accurate, controlled lifts in a challenging environment. By combining robust 2 tonne air hoists with intelligent control, Red Rooster Lifting ensured Balfour Beatty achieve reliable performance throughout a critical application.
For more information on our air hoists and custom control solutions, speak to our team today: Contact Us