Slide into place

The LP350 skidded the 264-ton (240-tonne) transformer under an overpass – a planned manoeuvre on the 25-mile (40km) route from Sundsvall to Nysäter – and then into its final position. The LP350 represents the continued evolution of the low-profile range that also includes the XLP150 extreme low-profile system. In contrast to their heavy track counterparts, these products are completely hand-portable, compact and ideal for use in areas with limited access or clearance.

“We worked with a 4-inch (10 cm) margin between the transformer and the overpass, sliding approximately 115 ft. (35m),” said Joakim Andersson, heavy project division at Jinert, a Swedish lifting and material handling company that delivered the massive transformer for its customer, DSV, a global transport and logistics firm. Including the truck, the entire transportation weighed in at 360 tons (327 tonnes).

“We already had an extensive fleet of equipment, but we were challenged with the sliding, lifting and transportation of a transformer from a vessel to its foundation; it was a big project. A requirement was to stay as low as possible, which is why our research led us to the Hydra-Slide product,” he added.