Modulift spreaders for Atlas Copco

Compressed air equipment company Atlas Copco bought Modulift spreaders to help in the transport of its products.

Atlas Copco's UK operation used the spreaders and lifting accessories in the shipment of compressed air packages to two projects in Nigeria. They will provide instrument and utility air to the Gbaran Ubie Central Oil and Gas processing facility and the Kolo Creek Oil / NAG manifold for Shell Petroleum. Three sizes of Modulift spreader sets aided the loading and unloading of the equipment during transport and they assisted with installation on site.

"Thanks to its modular components, the system is ideal for loads of different shapes and size and was specifically chosen for our projects due to the flexibility provided by Modulift's ability to accommodate different lifting configurations, enabling the equipment to easily be re-used for other lifts," commented Colin Messias, contracts engineer at Atlas Copco Compressors in Hemel Hempstead, UK.

The two orders were for a Modulift 12 set, complete with different sized green pin bow shackles and several wire rope slings, offering a maximum capacity of 12 tonnes at 3 m. As part of the company's portable range, these components are suitable for manual handling.

From the heavy range, the second order included a Modulift 50 spreader and a Modulift 70H spreader as part of a wider lifting package comprising green pin bow shackles, wire rope slings, end units and drop links. Modulift 50 offers a maximum load capacity of 50 tonnes at 6 m and the Modulift 70H is 100 tonnes at 6 m.

"As Atlas Copco supplied each compressed air package on a fabricated skid, we weighed the skid to establish the centre of gravity in order to determine the exact length the wire rope slings needed to be to ensure the package remained level when lifted," explained Nick Latham, Modulift chairman.

The Modulift range comprises 16 systems, in lifting capacities between 2 and 3,000 tonnes and lengths from 200 mm to 53 m. The modular design means that the same system can be used for a range of jobs.