Size really does matter after all
7th October 2008 — Nicknamed ‘Nelson’s Column II’, Britain’s largest load movement of a column box using two 12 axle trailers, is taking place on Saturday, 11 th October. The load weighing 243,000 tonnes will be transported 46 miles from Air Products manufacturing facility in Acrefair, North Wales, to Ellesmere Port. That’s the equivalent of transporting 207 Ford Focus around 20 laps of Silverstone race track.
A massive engineering feat, the column box, when loaded onto its transport with two tractor units attached, will be 84m in length equal to a train of over 12 caravans!
Navigating the movement route will require military precision and a few tricks of the trade: with a combined height of 6.9m, the tractor units have the functionality to reduce their height by 0.2m allowing them to pass under bridges and removable road signs will be temporarily detached along the way.
Given the massive weight and size of the column box and tractor units, the movement route and transport equipment were chosen because they had adequate strength to accommodate the imposed load. Plus with safety a top priority, Air Products’ engineers worked closely with the Highways Agency and other interested parties such as the Police, local authorities and bridge owners, to get an official ‘all clear’ for the move.
Over the two-day operation, the load movement will be escorted by five police cars and motorcycles plus vehicles from Cheshire City Council, Wrexham County Council and BT.
The item being moved by Air Products whose liquid Nitrogen also helps NASA space shuttles get off the ground, is part of a large cryogenic air separation plant bound for Ontario, Canada.
Coordinating the movement from Air Products, John Taylor, commented:
“We’ve been safely moving large load movements from Air Products’ Acrefair plant for many years, so we’ve got lots of experience to draw from. This is definitely ‘the big one’ though!”
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment and is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indices. The company has annual revenues of $10 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and over 22,000 employees around the globe.
An important employer in North West England and Wales, Air Products has close to 400 employees spread across sites at Acrefair, Deeside, Runcorn, Ellesmere Port, Crewe and Sandbach. The company continues to invest in local road infrastructures, working closely with Wrexham, Shropshire and Cheshire county councils as well as other statutory authorities. This includes the road routes used to move the loads between Acrefair and Ellesmere Port.
The company has won the Queen’s Award for Export Excellence 5 times.
For more information, visit www.airproducts.co.uk/acrefair
Media Inquiries:
Nicola Wilson, Air Products,
Tel.: +44 1932 249 532
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