A British company that manufactures specialist lifting and control equipment for heavy industry and transport has just formed alliances with distributors in four key overseas markets and expects to sign further deals to become a global supplier.
Sheffield-based Mechan Limited has been designing, fabricating and installing jib cranes and other heavy-lifting gear for UK industrial customers since 1969. Established to serve the steel and general engineering trades, the company now also has customers in the aerospace, petrochemical and transport industries.
Success at home led Mechan to look overseas for new opportunities and the targeted markets responded well, particularly to the company’s specialist equipment for the rail industry. Having clinched sales in Ireland, South Africa, Dubai and elsewhere, the company believes that partnering deals with local distributors will pave the way for worldwide exports.
“We have most recently agreed deals with agents or distributors in Morocco, India, Spain and South Africa,” explains Mechan business development director Richard Carr. “These countries all present outstanding opportunities for supply of specialist lifting gear and depot protection systems for the railways and good prospects of business from other industries. I expect similar alliances to follow in several other countries soon.
“Our systems for railcar lifting and removal and handling of wheelsets and bogies have been installed at traincare centres in the UK for prestige customers such as Siemens. At some locations our Depot Personnel Protection System has also been specified, to aid safe and efficient operation of the entire facility. Beyond rail, we have supplied jib cranes to oil majors and customised aero-engine handling equipment for the Rolls-Royce plant in Derby. This underlines the quality of our output.”
Mechan’s range of lifting equipment includes railcar jacks, bogie drops, rotators, bogie test machines, lifters and turntables, swing jib cranes, scissor jacks and screw jacks. Sister company Mechan Technology Limited designed the advanced control systems that ensure safe and accurate operation. It further developed and integrated the systems to create the SMART™ Depot Personnel Protection System that monitors and controls vehicle, personnel and equipment activity in and around traincare depots.