Liverpool, UK
Edible Oils
Tanker Loading & Fall Prevention
2009
Project Brief
Carbis Loadtec Group was approached by Jim Park and his engineering team from New Britain Oils (NBO) to discuss options for tanker access and loading for a new plant being built in Liverpool.
The Brief: The brief was to load up to three tankers simultaneously with sustainable edible oil. The site was in the early stages of construction and would be a fast-track project. The client had two critical objectives to meet:
- To ensure absolute safety while working on tanker tops and that the tanker would not need to be moved to locate the loading arm in any one of six manholes
- To safeguard food safety integrity, the tanker bays were to be inside a sealed building, and it was imperative that the doors could be closed to assist hygiene.
NBO provided a clear brief, forming a vital part of the project. Most clients demand a solution to make a particular problem go away. If the first supplier they approach has a range of basic or minimal solutions, they may opt for that because they are unaware of the potential range of problems.
The Approach
Conversely, a supplier with a broad range can present an array of solutions to meet the client’s needs. Jim and his team clearly understood what they wanted and their constraints. They needed to load through a heated arm over 10 metres along the tanker.
The feed line size is 4”, making for a heavy arm. NBO also wanted a cover to prevent debris from entering the open manhole. Given the nature of the liquid transferred, the arms also needed heating and insulation.
The Solution
Given that this was to be a state-of-the-art industry-leading refining plant, great care was taken to ensure that any design would be utilised for long-term efficiency and reliability. The Carbis Loadtec solution had to combine that ethos with fool-proof safety and assurance that any operator could step into the task and not jeopardise themselves or the integrity of the plant. It had to be designed so that one man could operate all three bays effectively, thus giving a payback.
The Carbis Loadtec team took NBO to visit a few local sites that utilised different types of tanker access combined with long-range loading arms. It quickly became apparent that NBO needed a system that combined the simplicity of a large cage with the assurance of top-of-the-range elevating platforms.
The Carbis Loadtec engineering team developed a hybrid system to meet these requirements. This was novel in that it provides an aluminium 10m long platform with flip-up floor panels plus a permanent walkway powered by air cylinders with a vertical range of 1.5m, thus allowing safe access to any tanker between 3.2 and 4.2 metres high, without risk of falls.
This was coupled with a long-range loading arm that provided fingertip control throughout the working range to facilitate loading along the tanker’s length.
The Result
The site construction team installed the system smoothly, and Carbis Loadtec provided supervisory support. The site has operated for four years, and the systems offer reliable and safe access and loading.
The physical and logistical challenges were not unique to NBO. Most clients have the same issues. NBO were receptive to adopting innovation, so the upselling of technology and its benefits was not such an issue. It was clear that alternative designs would not have met their needs, and they did not seek to compromise on their values of both safety and cleanliness.
The system that was designed as a hybrid has gone on to be Carbis Loadtec’s biggest-selling tanker access system globally.
Carbis Loadtec now produces hybrid system versions to suit rail loading stations. The NBO project is used as a shining example of the benefits that forward-thinking client management can bring. Carbis Loadtec has also worn out Jim’s doormat, taking customers from many parts of Europe to see how this system works and, more importantly, how well it has endured in a 24/7 environment. Most have gone on to buy the system or a derivative of it.
Overhearing two drivers chatting one day while on a site survey for another customer, the Carbis Loadtec team heard one saying how the best system he had ever worked with in Europe was the one at NBO. That was the best recommendation one could ever hope to hear.
The Carbis Loadtec Advantage
Carbis Loadtec works closely with our clients to provide a clear project scope; this may mean numerous tweaks to the project outline to meet each customer’s specific needs. Some clients come to Carbis Loadtec knowing exactly what they want, and Carbis Loadtec is happy to work with that. With years of experience working with a huge range of customers across all industries, Carbis Loadtec has developed tools to help customers decide what they want based on usage and the dangers involved.
“When we found out that our local terminal was closing down we needed a simple loading solution to keep our operation going. Last summer, we told Carbis Loadtec our challenge and they came back to us with a solution that ticked all the boxes. They were flexible when we wanted to tweak the specification then worked closely with us to ensure smooth delivery and installation before Christmas.”
TICKED ALL THE BOXES
NORTHERN ENERGY
