BUSINESS PROFILE |
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Layher scaffolding helps to meet today’s challenges The challenges that we are all currently facing have brought our methods and commitment into sharp focus – and the rail industry is one of the key sectors to benefit, says Sean Pike, UK Managing Director of Layher Ltd
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his year the company is celebrating its 75th anniversary and, throughout that time, it has placed innovation and a belief in working as closely as possible with customers at the top of the agenda. ‘Today, both of these factors are vital because a belief in finding new solutions and in close cooperation will ensure we can all meet the issues that we now face most effectively’ adds Sean Pike. Layher’s head office in Letchworth, which it moved into in 1997, is now supplemented by satellite depots in Livingston in Scotland, Eggborough in Yorkshire, Dublin in Ireland and, most recently, West Bromwich in the West Midlands.
in each location to enable delivery and collection commitments – both planned and ad hoc – to be fully realised. ‘This is especially relevant to our rail industry customers because, by definition, they are located throughout the country’ adds Sean Pike. The company also places great emphasis on its ongoing commitment to innovation which continues despite today’s considerations. Often the result of customer feedback, the introduction of new equipment ranges from major developments – such as the Allround Bridging System which offers key gains for passenger and workforce access and movement during, for example, station refurbishment – to individual, one-off component innovations.
‘We have set up each facility to offer the optimum access to both equipment and support’ continues Sean Pike. ‘This means that regional customers can not only enjoy direct access to our design and technical capabilities in the UK – and, indeed, from our manufacturing plant and headquarters near Stuttgart in Germany – but also to the full range of Layher systems and equipment.’ In the current climate, he believes the latter to be of particular importance. The company maintains extensive stockholding
‘Our new FlexBeam is a prime example in this regard’ continues Sean Pike. ‘Designed for use with support and suspension works as well as cantilevered scaffold structures, the Layher FlexBeam achieves a 40 per cent higher bending load capacity – crucially without the need for compression cross bracing.’ Significantly for the rail sector, greater radii can be achieved with curved structures such as bridges, eliminating the need for extensive material usage and minimising manpower time.
Alongside this ability to provide ongoing equipment solutions, the company has developed advanced design support methodology that not only optimises installation efficiency but also, again, helps to offset factors created by today’s challenges. ‘Our Scaffold Information Modelling (SIM) software is the flagship in this area and impacts directly on planning reliability, cost control and improved material management,” continues Sean Pike. He points out that SIM enables the creation, design and assessment of project details which can not only bring on-site benefits but can also give the company’s customers a vital competitive edge. The challenges presented, and responses required, by the pandemic in many ways reflect similar factors associated with the Brexit process so we have long been well positioned to address the issues raised’ adds Sean Pike. ‘From new build to ongoing maintenance, our contracting and end user customers in the rail industry continue to look for the same solutions for all access and protection requirements – safety, efficiency and reliability of support and supply. At Layher, we believe we are continuing to meet these needs as successfully now as we have throughout our history’ concludes Sean Pike. Tel: 01462 475100 Email: info@layher.co.uk Visit: www.layher.co.uk Rail Professional