What a glass lift! Hird vacuum lifter impresses at new stadium

A glass vacuum lifter supplied by Hird Group is playing a key role in the installation of glass panels at the new Tottenham Hotspur football stadium.

The Hydraulica 1200 glass lifter is allowing our curtain walling client to quickly and safely lift dozens of glazing panels at the 61,599-seater stadium in North London.

Contractors are working day and night to complete construction of the £800-million stadium in time for the start of the 2018-19 Premier League season.

The remotely-controlled glass vacuum lifter is being used with a tower crane to lift panels into position on the exterior of the stadium.

Hird Director John Wilding said: “Our Hydraulica 1200 glass lifter is ideal for the job, because it can lift large sheets of glass, which can then be manipulated with precision to support safe installation within the panel aperture with minimal manual handling.

“The glass lifter can tilt its load through 180 degrees and can rotate its load through 270 degrees, using a cabled remote control, so the vacuum lifter operator can install panels with complete confidence.

“Increasingly, sports stadia are being designed and built with significant amounts of structural glass, and the new Tottenham Hotspur ground is no exception.

“It creates fantastic spaces for spectators, but a significant challenge for curtain walling contractors. Fortunately, we have a growing range of glass lifting equipment to help them keep up with this fast-moving architectural trend.”

The Hydraulica 1200 glass vacuum lifter, manufactured by Kappel, has a maximum lifting capacity of 1,200kg, and can accommodate irregular loads through the closing of individual vacuum cups. It has dual independent vacuum valves to give additional assurance of safe lifting.

Hird is also supporting curtain walling specialists at the stadium with the supply of scissor lifts and cherry pickers.

It has supplied lifting equipment and mini cranes for other stadium developments, notably West Ham’s London Stadium, formerly the Olympic Stadium, in Stratford, East London.

Call Hird today to find out more about our vacuum lifter hire service, as well as mini crane hire, spider crane hire, scissor lift hire, aerial boom hire, and lifting equipment hire.

All machines and equipment are available across the UK via Hird’s three operational centres, along with a full range of accredited mini crane, vacuum lifter, and powered access training.

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