As one of the world’s leading suppliers of under-hook attachments Lloyds Somers were chosen
to design, manufacture and supply nineteen (19) Powered Sheet Pack Lifters to a U.K. client, in order to minimise the risks associated with using manual plate grabs, whilst also increasing efficiency through a reduction in double handling and an increased lifting capability.

The Lifters provide “Hands Free” operation when handling sheet packs. The lifting legs are electrically driven using Somers, well proven rack and pinion drive system and purpose designed self sustaining gearbox. The slew (rotate) motion being driven electrically through a worm motor gearbox and anti-friction slew ring, which is suitable for eccentric loading.

The new design of Lloyds Somers Sheet Pack Lifter allows the crane driver to align and position the sheet packs within the distribution facility whilst standing well away from the danger area.

The lifter is particularly useful when loading to and from road transport due to the potential risks when using manual plate grabs due to the nature of the task and the need for personnel to manually withdraw the grabs from the load.

Somers Sheet Pack Lifters are designed to the latest European Norms, are CE marked and are rigorously tested at our works prior to despatch.

Somers have been awarded a contract to design, manufacture and supply eleven Automatic Ingot Tongs for a new Forge being established by Mackeil Ispat of India.
The tongs are purpose designed to handle round and square ingots ranging from 5 to 25 Tonnes in capacity and utilise the renowned Somers Automatic Sequencing Device which ensures reliable and repeatable operation of the tongs in hot working conditions.

Somers have designed and manufactured a 30 Tonne Automatic Duplex Slab Tong for handling imported steel slabs at Newport Docks by Fork Lift Truck.
The tong was designed with a suitable top suspension beam to mate with a spreader on a container handling Fork Lift Truck.
The tong replaced a magnet lifting arrangement which had proven to be unreliable and required high maintenance.

Lloyds Somers have recently completed the supply of a number of Bogie Rotators, Bogie Turntables and Bogie Manipulators to the Alstom Traincare Depot at Longsight in Manchester.
Alstom have completely gutted the old facility at Longsight and have completely renovated the facility to accommodate the maintenance and servicing of Pendalino Bogies. The equipment will be initially used for the H2 service requirements although the future needs for the H3 service have been considered during the design stage.
The Somers designed and manufactured handling equipment which is in use throughout the revitalised facility was chosen in preference to other systems and was designed completely to suit Alstom’s particular requirements.

Somers have been selected to provide the design and engineering support to Tata Steel for two slab handling projects in the Tata Steelworks, TISCO, in Jamshedpur India.
The first supply was for a 28 Tonne Automatic Slab Handling Tong with Powered Rotation and the second a 75 Tonne Automatic Slab Tong with a Motorised Stool Facility which enables the crane driver to select the number of slabs to be lifted.

Lloyds Somers have invested substantially in upgrading their in house design capabilities by introducing AutoCAD Inventor 3D throughout the company.
As well as 3D modelling the complete package includes stress analysis, finite element analysis and a design animation facility.

Metro de Oporto have been users of a bespoke lifting system using Somers Rail Vehicle Lifting Jacks since the Bombardier designed and manufactured Eurotram was first introduced into the city in the late 1990’s.
Following an expansion to the fleet of vehicles, Bombardier selected Somers as the suppliers of new lifting jacks to allow two complete trams to be lifted and maintained on the same road.
A major factor in Somers being selected for the project was down to the reliability, availability and performance of the original jacks which were initially supplied.

As a result of a serious incident within Corus, Somers were awarded a contract to design, manufacture and powered handling solution for manipulating sheet packs within the Wombourne Site with the particular onus being place on loading to and from road transport.
The solution devised between Somers and Corus’s Engineers eradicates the need for operative to be present on the back of the flatbed and thereby removed the risks associated with manual handling of the sheet packs as well as the restrictions imposed by the working at height regulations.
The lifter is fitted with powered leg and rotate motions allowing the sheet packs to be positioned “hands free”.

Somers have recently designed, manufactured, supplied, installed and commissioned a Titanium Slab Turnover Machine for use at the Timet Works in Swansea.
The machine is the linked between twin grinding machines and has removed the need for manual handling between the grinders which has significantly increased the utilisation of the grinders, removed the possibility of slab damage cause by handling between the grinders and has allowed the operation to be fully automated.