Installation of SMS HybrEx extrusion machine and OMAV furnace

Company Profile

Garnalex is a new aluminium extrusion  house that was formed in March 2018 by Roger Hartshorn, who is best known for founding, growing and selling two leading PVC-U systems companies, Eurocell and Liniar.

The £9 million investment into the 100,000 square foot factory will allow Garnalex to extrude 4 tonnes of aluminium an hour on the SMS HybrEx Press.

Project Outline:

We provided lifting equipment and a mechanical installation team to offload and install the SMS HybrEx extrusion machine and OMAV furnace into Garnalex’s facility at Nether Heage, Derbyshire. In total, the aluminium extrusion press weighed over 170 Tonnes.

Project Details:

Health & Safety

The Merritts health & safety team ensured the correct documentation and systems were in place to provide a safe working environment for all parties concerned. This included:

• An in-depth site survey was carried out to understand potential site-specific hazards.
• Risk assessments, method statement and detailed lift plans were created and approved before commencement of works.
• All Merritts’ plant, lifting equipment and machine moving tackle is regularly tested and fully certificated.
• All Merritts operatives undertake an on-going training and development program to promote multi-skilling and safe working practices

SMS HybrEx Installation

SMS HybrEx machine works were completed over a 3 week period.

• We prepared the site by laying steel plates within the facility to ensure adequate protection for the floor.
• An Enerpac Superlift Gantry was offloaded from transport and assembled outside of the facility, in line with the access door.
• The SMS machine’s ancillary items were offloaded from transport with Merritts’ Versa-Lift 60/80, taken inside the facility, and placed in a holding area.
• Applicable site roadways were cordoned off whilst lifting was in progress to ensure public safety.
• The Superlift Gantry was used to offload the 2 main sections of the SMS press. These consisted of a 26Te platen and a 67Te platen & cylinder section.

• The sections were placed onto suitably rated machinery moving skates and moved into the holding area within the facility.
• The gantry was then dismantled and reassembled inside the facility, over the machine pit.
• The large sections of the SMS machine were moved from the holding area via Versa-Lift 60/80 plus machinery moving skates and placed into position for the Superlift Gantry
• The gantry was then used to lift the sections and to position them within the pit.
• Merritts engineers worked with the SMS engineers to level and bolt down parts.
• Ancillary items were collected from the holding area with 7Te FLT and Versa-Lift 60/80.
• Merritts assisted SMS engineers with assembly of the machine.