T-Beam Production Machinery Shortlisted at British Precast Awards

We’re delighted to announce that ROCO was shortlisted for two Best Practice awards at the recent British Precast annual dinner, held at the Marriott Hotel Leicester.

MD Jimmy Roche and Marketer Tom Goosey were on hand to collect the certificates on behalf of the team back in Mountbellew, Galway.

Health & Safety – Prestressed T Beam Wire Cutter

In the Health & Safety category, our shortlisted entry was for the T-beam / Lintel Wire Cutter.

Traditionally, the production of wet cast concrete products in prestressed moulds is labour intensive and high-risk.

When carried out manually or using equipment not designed for the task, these processes can be time consuming, and pose greater risks to health and safety.

Cutting products and prestress wires using angle grinders or plasma cutters creates a dusty and hazardous working environment. Recently, the risks around dust, particularly crystalline silica, have come under the spotlight.

Using our machines, producers can reap several benefits. Not only do they reduce the cost of manufacture and increase productivity, they also provide a better working environment for factory operatives, and a higher standard of finished product to end users.

Our wire cutter is a unique machine, without parallel in the industry. It was developed over a 3-year period of consultation and design, collaborating with factory managers and operatives.

An enclosed cutting area and dust extraction are included. This eliminates risks around exposure to blades or plasma cutters, along with dust and the potential for long-term respiratory, noise and vibration (RSI) problems.

Employee retention is improved. This has been identified as a problem within the precast concrete industry, due to the nature of factory environments.

Innovation – T-Beam Lifter/Demoulder

In the Innovation category, our shortlisted entry was for the T-Beam Lifter.

Often, precast elements are lifted from moulds manually or with equipment not designed specifically for the task – for example, forklift or crane attachments.

Lifting and movement of elements in this fashion poses greater risk of injury – trapping, for example. Products can also be damaged.

With our demoulding and lifting machine, precast concrete producers can improve productivity and reduce labour requirements. Other machinery commonly used for this task is also freed up.

Like the Wire Cutter, the Demoulder is unparalleled in the precast concrete industry. It was also developed over a similar 3-year period of consultation and design, working closely alongside our customers.

It runs directly on the mould, lifting elements by hooking under the prestress wires, with different attachments for different wire patterns. It also includes an added feature to knock out stop-ends used to separate elements in the mould.

We’re extremely proud to be acknowledged by British Precast, and thoroughly enjoyed the event.

Being shortlisted in both of these categories justifies the continued effort of the company to improve productivity and health & safety for our customers in the precast concrete industry.