Focus on....Fly-Jib

Our longest reaching lorry mounted cranes have added unique lifting abilities to our fleet.  One year on from their arrival, we take a look at some of the many jobs they’ve been involved with so far.  From lifting sculptures over the Forth and Clyde canal to positioning hot tubs in tight spaces, our fly jib crane has been involved in a number of interesting jobs.

The two 8x2 rigid vehicles with PK65002-E cranes feature a hoist attachment with the capacity to lift 3.2 tonnes to a distance of 16.6m.  What sets these units apart is the addition of a fly jib.  When attached to either unit this can lift up to 0.8 tonnes to a distance of 28m.  The combination of the fly jib and hoist gives us greater flexibility for lifting and access to a number of sites and set ups.

lifting sculptures over the forth and clyde canal

One of the first jobs to be undertaken by our fly jib was lifting and positioning sculptures of whisky bottles on the canal side in Falkirk.  Positioned just outside Rosebank Distillery on the edge of the Forth and Clyde canal the 5m high structures were created as part of a project to improve the amenity of the Forth and Clyde Canal corridor from The Falkirk Wheel to the Helix Park and the Kelpies.  

lifting steel beams through a window space in glasgow

In May last year there was only one truck for the job when our customer, Archibald McAulay & Son needed three steel beams lifted through a small window opening at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in the centre of Glasgow.  For such a small space, and at a height of 12m off the ground, the fly jib was a perfect fit for the task in hand.  The vehicle and crane combination allowed both the delivery of the steel and precise movement through the window opening which measured just 1.5m by 2m high. 

The fly jib can often be found at Grangemouth, one of the largest oil refineries in Europe.  Lifting and installing metal work and pipes in this complex site is a regular request and the fly jib achieves this with ease.  Regularly extending to its full reach and using both the fly jib attachment and hoist, the kit allows for precision movements within this large scale operation. 

the fly jib working at grangemouth oil refinery

Our friends at Eagle Leisure always like to set us a challenge when positioning their hot tubs and swim spas in interesting locations!  From beautiful spots like the Inner Hebrides to urban settings with limited access and challenging lift plans, the fly jib has allowed us to deliver and position their kit in a variety of places for their customers to enjoy.

Hot tubs positioned in beautiful locations

positioning a precious load at kelvinhall

One of the most precious loads over the past year included roof panels from the original Willow Tearooms.  Working on behalf of Glasgow Museums and Constantine the job involved lifting the pieces from ground level to an upper floor at the new Kelvinhall building in Glasgow.  Not for the faint hearted, our driver/crane operator worked with the team to carefully guide the crates to the upper floor where the team from Constantine guided them into place.

We're always happy to discuss routine or challenging jobs for our long reach cranes.  To find out more about these or the rest of our fleet, get in touch with our team here.