KiwiRail Bears Fruit for Mechan

15th February 2012

Sheffield-based rail depot equipment specialist, Mechan, is proving to be a hit down under, after receiving a second request for its lifting equipment from the other side of the world.

Mechan has shipped a set of four 30 tonne lifting jacks to KiwiRail's Hamilton depot in New Zealand, 12 years after the system was installed at its Palmerston North facility. KiwiRail is New Zealand's largest freight and passenger rail operator and will be using the jacks to maintain rolling stock on the North Island's mainline. Synchronised lifting is achieved using Mechan's Microlink control system, which provides a constant feed of information to the operator via a single cable, offering maximum safety and flexibility. Richard Carr, Mechan's managing director, said: -We are extremely pleased to secure a second prestigious contract with KiwiRail. Our Microlink system is renowned the world over and remains at the forefront of depot maintenance technology. The simple installation process means our jacks can be set up by onsite engineers without any specialist training, providing a significant cost saving for the client. Mechan has more than 40 years experience in the design, development and production of heavy lifting and handling products for the rail industry. It supplies jacks, ranging in capacity from six to 35 tonnes, for the maintenance of all rail cars, from trams and metro to freight locomotives and wagons. Sam Reindler, KiwiRail's fleet engineer, added: -Mechan's first set of jacks continues to serve us well, more than a decade after its initial installation. Our engineers are happy working with such easy to use equipment and we have been very satisfied with its reliability and performance. It made perfect sense, therefore, to replicate the system in the Hamilton depot. For further information about Mechan's range of jacks and its patented Microlink control system, telephone (0114) 257 0563 or visit www.mechan.co.uk