Caltech Lifts starts work on record-breaking lift project

Dundee-based Caltech Lifts has started work on the installation of its most expensive lift yet – a record-breaking multi-purpose one for the city’s new £100m waste-to-energy plant at Baldovie.

The family firm, founded in the city in 1978 by engineer Howard Renwick and now run by his sons Andrew and Fraser, was awarded the contract to install the six-figure, three-tonne Raloe passenger and goods lift after being invited to tender by Standardkessel Baumgarte (SBG), the engineering procurement and construction main contractor for the project.

Installation has begun on the Spanish-made specialist lift which will carry both passengers and goods – taking people to and from the admin block on one side while moving goods on the other to the industrial levels of the plant. It’s the most expensive single lift installed by Caltech in its 41-year history.

Largest ever installed

Once operating, it’s believed it will be the lift with the largest travel and load capacity combination ever installed in North-East Scotland – lifting three tonnes to just over 30 metres above ground. It’s due to start operating in November.

The lift will play a key role in the £100m EfW CHP facility, owned and operated by German energy company MVV, which will turn 110,000 tonnes of unrecyclable waste from Dundee and Angus into electricity from next year.

Caltech is dedicating a three-man team to the installation project – led by Lead Installation Engineer David Smith and including one of its Modern Apprentices, Rory Willox, who it trains with help from Dundee and Angus College to fill a chronic skills shortage in the lift industry. He will use this project to complete his NVQ 3 in Lift Installation.

Other Caltech staff will also assist as required, with the contract being project-managed by Managing Director Andrew Renwick, Technical Director Fraser Renwick, Operations Manager Graeme Beaton, Installations Manager Scott Murray and Technical Manager Paul Phillips.

‘Significant win’

Speaking about the project, Caltech Lifts Managing Director Andrew Renwick said: “We’re naturally delighted to have won this work on this important facility for Dundee and Angus and hope it will enable us to be involved in similar projects across the UK.

“Financially, this contract is a significant win for our business and will help us achieve our targets for this year as well as continue the sustainable growth we’ve enjoyed over recent years.”

Caltech Lifts Limited is one of the UK’s leading suppliers and maintainers of lifting equipment, including passenger lifts, goods lifts, disabled access lifts and stairlifts to the Public and Private sectors, and maintains more than 1,000 lifts maintained across the UK.

For more information about Caltech Lifts, go to our homepage.