Case Study - Steel Erection
FIAMM Building

Duration: (2.5 weeks)   November 2009

This was a straightforward contract for a new 600ft warehouse required to relocate a major pharmaceutical company in Wales. The client had provisionally allowed 4 weeks for the erection, however, we were confident that we could do it in just over half that time using only a 3 man installation team. Working with access plant operators, the only obstacle would be the weather.

Unfortunately for our installation team, being 1000ft up from sea level, they would be subjected to some of the worst wet, cold and windy weather of the year, sweeping in from the nearby and hostile Brecon Beacons.

One of the problems that can prevent a successful erection is when civil groundwork's contractors have not aligned and measured up correctly the civil installation and anchor bolt placements for the main supporting columns. This particular job was made more difficult by the large and prolonged rainwater puddles totally obscuring the visibility of any alignment. Needless to say, this job required some newly acquired shallow swimming skills and a willingness to stay wet for 10 hours thereafter.

Rapidly moving through the erection, our team were stalled at the end by some heavy gales which made conditions treacherous for safe rigging and hoisting procedures to continue. After some respite, the final exterior frames and supports were added to the structural beams on all four sides to complete the erection. The result was that the client was more than happy that they had gained an extra 1.5 weeks project time to his schedule of works.

Site installation supervisor Vincent Brennan commented "The job went well as a whole, but the wet conditions were difficult, as harsh as i've known in 30 odd years. So we were pleased to be in and out as soon as possible." Call Mechtek on 01495 247626 to discuss your next installation project.