Lifting specialists CERTEX UK is expanding its services to the offshore industry with new, larger premises in Scotland and the launch of a same-day delivery service.
The company is to open a 36,000 sq. ft. production and warehousing facility in Montrose that will be stocked with more than £1.5m of lifting equipment, available for sale or hire, with same-day delivery on orders placed before 12noon.
Available items will include Crosby rigging equipment - for which CERTEX is already the main distributor - Bridon crane ropes, Quic-sling wire rope slings, Bulldog, Elephant and Kito chain blocks, lever hoists and trolleys; Powertex textile webbing and round slings; Riley super clamps, and Tirfor wire rope pulling machines.
The Montrose site will also offer enhanced manufacturing, repair and maintenance services including the production of bespoke crane rope and wire rope assemblies; the latest Non Destructive Examination (NDE) equipment of wire ropes up to 64mm; a pressure lubrication service, and the supply, inspection, and repair of customised offshore rigging lofts.
Investment in the production facility includes five hydraulic presses up to 2000 tonnes to manufacture wire rope slings up to 76mm diameter; a crawler crane with a handling capacity of 35 tonnes; 10-tonne coiling machines; a motorised payoff stand, and a range of wire rope cutting machines able to fuse and taper up to 65mm.
'The Montrose facility represents substantial investment from CERTEX and demonstrates further our commitment to enhancing our services to the offshore industry,' said Davy Young, head of CERTEX's Offshore Division. 'Montrose will not only increase our presence in Scotland, it will give us the edge when it comes to meeting the complex lifting needs of our oil and gas customers.'
Engineers at Montrose will provide test and examination services on all rigging containers and lifting frames and both offshore and onshore statutory examination of lifting equipment and cranes. LEEA accredited training courses in wire rope examination and the safe use of lifting equipment and rigging will also be offered.
CERTEX's Managing Director, Kevin Smith, added: 'The offshore industry is a complex and ever-changing environment and we are making this key investment as a result of asking our customers what they want from us. We think we have listened to them carefully and by providing this unprecedented level of service and expertise we don't just aim to meet their expectations; we hope to exceed them.'
Image 1743 - GLOBAL STANDARDS; LOCAL SERVICE (left to right) Ian Scott, Alex Rothnie, David Young, Ron Stott and Gary Milne have the back-up of CERTEX's international distribution network to enable them to offer a personal, same-day service to customers in the North-east.