Client overview
Our Client has been a trusted name in demolition, excavation and reclamation since 1985. The company handles a wide range of projects, from structural demolition and site clearance to the strip-out and removal of industrial and factory equipment.
The project
When they needed thermal lancing specialists to support a machinery dismantling and removal project for their client, they called on Hickman Engineering.
The job required the dismantling and removal of a large paper press consisting of a 3 metre cast iron roller set within a 6 metre cast iron frame. The sheer scale of the equipment was beyond the machinery and tools available to the Client’s own team, so they brought in the specialists.
Our approach
Thermal lancing, also known as oxygen lancing or burning bars, was the ideal solution for this project. This high-temperature cutting technique has the power to cut through large cast iron sections while remaining manoeuvrable enough to work within the constraints of a confined internal space.
We used the thermal lance to break down the press components and create bore holes into the sections so that lifting equipment could be used to remove the dismantled parts safely.
The challenges
Scale of equipment
Our standard thermal lancing equipment was not powerful enough for a job of this size. Once we had assessed the full scale of the project on site, we sourced and brought in specific heavy-duty equipment to handle it, increasing our capacity for future requirements and opening our offering into a whole new market.
Working at height and fire risk
The sheer size of the machinery meant a significant portion of the work required operating at height. With the thermal lance running at 4,000°C, fire risk was also a serious consideration. Fire blankets, dampening down, and a dedicated Fire Warden/Confined Space monitor were in place throughout the project to keep the crew safe.
Smoke management in a working building
As the project progressed, the volume of smoke produced created an unexpected problem. The building remained in use as a working business, and smoke was migrating into other occupied areas, causing disruption and difficult working conditions for staff elsewhere on site.
There was no practical way to eliminate the smoke entirely, so we made the decision to change our working schedule and move operations to weekends, when the building was unoccupied. This extended the overall timeframe of the project and required out-of-hours working, but it was the right call – allowing us to complete the job safely and with the minimum disruption to the client’s business.
The result
The project was completed in nine days.
At Hickman Engineering, our approach is straightforward: we never shy away from a job, however difficult. We assess what’s needed, we source the right equipment, and we adapt when challenges arise. Whatever it takes to get the job done safely and to a high standard – that’s what we do.
