Rotec confirmed as LEEA Full Member

Rotec Hydraulics Ltd are thrilled to announce that following a thorough audit they have achieved full membership status with the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association, better known as the LEEA.

LEEA are a respected organisation dedicated to ensuring safety and quality across lifting equipment materials and supplier integrity. LEEA supports the education and quality procedures to ensure that safe practice is the everyday norm.

To become a full LEEA member, Rotec provided evidence of their activities within the lifting equipment industry and underwent a thorough compliance audit where the business’s processes were examined and assessed on their ability to uphold and maintain the exemplary standards required by LEEA. 

This thorough membership process ensures that only those who provide the highest-quality products and services can attain a membership.

When using a LEEA member, you can be confident that they are compliant to any and all relevant standards and legislation, competent, and are continually raising the standards of practice.

Quality Systems Manager at Rotec Hydraulics Ltd, Josie Chamberlain, commented,

“It is a fantastic achievement to have been confirmed as full LEEA members. Rotec are highly experienced at hydraulic projects for the lifting equipment industry, including being a well-renowned producer of bespoke hydraulic winch systems.

 

“We look forward to continuing our work with LEEA, and ensuring we deliver expertly trained staff to all our clients.”

Rotec Celebrate as Double Finalists at the Somerset Business Awards 2022

Rotec Hydraulics Ltd celebrates being double finalists at this year’s prestigious Somerset Business Awards (SBAs) for ‘Best Use of Technology’ and ‘Somerset Manufacturer and Producer’ Award.

The awards, run annually by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, received a record- breaking number of entries and only the most outstanding businesses with a head office in Somerset were named finalists.

Our investment and integration of Parker Internet of Things (IoT) technology earned us a place at the grand final in the ‘Best Use of Technology’ award category. IoT enables engineers to remotely control and monitor various performance and safety parameters using strategically placed, wireless sensors to provide data and control systems over the internet.

Named finalist for the ‘Somerset Manufacturer and Producer of the year’ category is testament to the team’s innovative development of several bespoke winch systems for both leading regional and national names within the Utilities sector.

Somerset Chamber Executive Director, Emma Rawlings, said,

“These awards are the largest in Somerset and are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate all that
is great about [Somerset’s] diverse business community.”

Paul Prouse, Managing Director, commented,

“Being named finalist in two categories is a testament to our team who have continued to provide solutions and outstanding products and services to our customers throughout a challenging period for all businesses.

“Investing in and utilising cutting-edge technologies and providing innovative solutions for our clients has always been at the heart of our business.”

The winners were announced at the Grand Final on 11th March, which celebrated the extraordinary organisations within the county of Somerset. Rotec finished as double finalists – a great achievement amongst such a high calibre of local businesses.

Pictured below (left to right): Roger Carne, Paul Prouse, Rachel Worth, Richard Lang, Mark Conniff, Josie Chamberlain, Richard Renfree and Andy Rimes.

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Custom made hydraulic winch system for the utilities sector

Rotec Hydraulics Ltd has recently completed works on a custom made hydraulic winch system for the utilities market.

Fitted to a fleet of National Grid vehicles, these bespoke winches have been designed, built, installed and tested by our in-house team of engineers and include a hydraulic system, electronic control system and mechanical components.

The Capstan winch is specifically designed for fast line speeds and has a 350Kg working load limit with a remote electrical foot pedal operation

Safety features include an integral fail safe static brake and integral dynamic braking.

The Capstan winch drum is made of stainless steel and the winch is deployed on a sliding system to allow the operator to move it from stored position to operational position easily.

National Grid is one of the world’s largest publicly listed utilities focused on transmission and distribution of electricity and gas. They play a vital role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use safely, reliably and efficiently. Rotec has worked with National Grid for several years and are proud of the strong, effective relationship they share.

At Rotec the team work on many different projects.  Much of the work undertaken requires the integration of knowledge and skills from across the Rotec team, to deliver all of the elements that make up a client brief. For more information on the services we offer, please click here.

 

Custom Designed Winching Systems

Isuzu Dmax

Rotec have been working with the Utility market for the last 20 years – designing and manufacturing winch systems for overhead line teams throughout the UK. Traditional vehicles such as landrovers were deemed the work horse and industry standard. Working with a number of organisation the challenge to replace the landrover centred on certain replacement vehicles – such as the Isuzu DMAX.

The bespoke system includes the following:

  • Electro-hydraulic PTO (Power Take Off) for the pump
  • Custom designed hydraulic manifold assembly, which uses an electronic proportional directional control valve
  • Dual pressure control which allows for pressure selection
  • Custom made hydraulic reservoir
  • Custom electronic control system, including a remote pendant with joystick control as well as a 2nd joystick located in the cab
  • Integrated electronic hand throttle for the engine
  • Quality winch and Parker hydraulic hose supplied with pressure test certification which can be traced throughout the Parker network using PTS system

The system operates in two work modes:

  • Lifting mode: capable of lifting up to 1550 Kg (SWL)
  • Self – recovery: capable of pulling 3600 Kg

The bespoke system is designed and manufactured completely in-house, fully – tested prior to despatch.

Bespoke Winching System for Polaris 1000 HD ATV

Ever considered how Over Head Line maintenance teams get their tools ‘up’ on to pylons to enable them to carry out their work?  One answer is with Rotec Hydraulics’ help.

At Rotec Hydraulics the Team, work on many different projects.  Much of the work undertaken requires the integration of knowledge and skills from across the Rotec team, to deliver all of the elements that make up a client brief.

One such brief was to enable these incredibly gutsy all-terrain Polaris 1000 HD Rangers to help Over Head Line maintenance teams access their tools, whilst working off the beaten track and when needed at height. 

 For one utility company the skilled Rotec team designed, built and installed bespoke hydraulic and electric Capstan Winching Systems to a fleet of all-terrain vehicles, to enable utility staff to ‘winch up’ the items they need, when working at height.

The all-terrain Polaris 1000 HD Rangers are used daily to support overhead line operations in the utilities sector.  The low ground compact build of the Polaris is perfect to access difficult to reach areas when repairing or undertaking planned activity in the utility sector.  Their confined flatbed behind the cab, is ideal to hold and secure Rotec’s bespoke Hydraulic Power Pack, powering the Capstan Winch.  Electricity pylons are by the nature of their role, often positioned off the beaten track and are accessed across all sorts of terrain.

The whole winching system was designed, tested, built and attached to multiple vehicles by Rotec Hydraulics in their large workshop space at the Taunton branch using the skills of the specialist hydraulic Design, Build and Installation team.

The hydraulic and electric winching system ensures when these mighty little vehicles and crew reach challenging locations, they have everything needed to hoist tools up on to a pylon, to carry out overhead cable maintenance and repair work.

When in the middle of nowhere there are times when the utility company over headline maintenance staff will not be beside the winch system to physically push buttons, to engage the winding mechanism.  Therefore, when designing the power sources to operate the Capstan Winch, Rotec ensured the Hydraulic Power Packs could be petrol driven, alongside a battery to enable electric start and a remote electric start option for when personnel are perhaps in position up a pylon. 

An integrated cooling system and roll cage over the whole Capstan winching system unit adds overall protection to the investment as it is transported to site and used.  The complete winching system unit can be fully removed from the vehicle if and when required.

 As a further safety measure, Rotec engineers designed and manufactured a specially designed manually lowered ground anchor, to limit the ability of the vehicle to slide when the winch is engaged in more extreme winching situations.  The power Capstan winching system is designed to pull up to 350kg.

As part of the design and testing process Rotec also undertook the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in support of the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).  Rotec ensures we provide the additional evidence within our design to ensure the vehicle conversion is strong, reliable and suited to the challenging environments in which it is designed to operate. 

The Rotec team is thrilled they enable others to reliably undertake time critical repairs and planned activity, all year round, in any conditions, at any height, to keep key utility services across the country operating. 

Are you looking for an alternative option to get something from A to B in a controlled way?  Rotec Hydraulics experienced team of Hydraulic, Pneumatic, Mechanical and Electrical engineers can help.  Please contact any of our locations across the south west for more information or assistance.

 

Date: 24/02/2020  Revised   Author: Carly Warren