The largest crane rails we've ever rolled have been shipped from Skinningrove to our site in Scunthorpe where they'll be installed as part of our ongoing maintenance programme.
The CR164 rails, which total 730 metres in length and will provide 365 metres of track, have been delivered for installation at the at our Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) Plant and will support the cranes that run in the facility.
Steel Asset Management BOS Plant Engineer David Hampshire said: "The 2 cranes play a vital role in our steelmaking operations. The number 1 crane operates at the west end of the BOS Plant, has a lifting capacity of 435 tonnes and carries ladles containing liquid iron, which we use to charge our steelmaking vessels. Number 2 crane operates at the east end and transports scrap pans weighing up to 200 tonnes to the vessels.
"Both our cranes run on the same track and, over time, the significant loads they carry leads to wear on the rails, which is why we regularly inspect the rails and replace them as required."
Given the large dimensions of the 2 cranes and the weight of the loads they carry, particularly large and strong crane rails are needed to support them - and our Special Profiles business was the only crane rail manufacturer in the world that could fulfil this need.
Dominic Hill, Customer Quality and Technical Manager at Special Profiles, said: "The CR164 crane rails are the largest ones we’ve ever produced and to do so, we had to manufacture new rolls carefully designed to roll the required profile.
"Although we have rolled similar products in the dim and distant past, effectively this was akin to manufacturing a brand new product.
"On the back of this development, we’re also supplying CR164 crane rail to our Teesside Beam Mill and are starting to see enquiries from other steel companies. We're the only company that is now manufacturing this crane rail, so although the demand for them is limited, we’re in a very positive position to supply."