Van Beest and Hoist UK have emerged as winners in the LEEA Innovation Awards held at LiftEx 2013, the annual trade exhibition for the overhead lifting industry. Van Beest’s Green Pin ROV shackles, which are designed for use with remote operated vehicles (ROVs) in sub-sea environments, secured the prize for Best Product, whilst Hoist UK’s Oblik modular lightweight load bearing structure picked up the award for Best Application.
Announcing the winners at the Bolton USN Arena on November 15th, John Williams, operations manager for LEEA, said: “This is only the second year of the Innovation Awards, but we attracted a wide range of very impressive entries, ranging from lift planning software and RFID tags to ingenious modular lifting systems. However, the judges ultimately agreed that Van Beest and Hoist UK had demonstrated the most compelling evidence of innovative thinking to address demanding lifting applications.”
Van Beest is a long established specialist in the production of high tensile shackles. The company’s Green Pin ROV range uses a specially designed quick release shackle that can be manipulated easily by an ROV’s hydraulically operated arm, without compromising safety. Developed specifically for sub-sea applications, these products overcome the limitations of solutions based on standard products, and can significantly reduce the time taken to disassemble shackles underwater.
Hoist UK is a manufacturer, distributor and supplier of lifting and handling equipment for the industrial and entertainment sectors. The company’s Oblik system won the Best Application award for its use as a suspended work platform to facilitate regular maintenance access to boilers in the power generation industry. Safer and more economic than conventional scaffolding, Oblik is based around just three standard aluminum components, can be assembled rapidly using standard tools, and is light enough to be handled by one person. When supported by hoists, the platforms created using Oblik offer infinitely adjustable working height while leaving the space below completely free for access. In addition to its award-winning application for the power generation sector, Oblik can be deployed in a wide range of other roles, including rigs, walkways and stages in the entertainment industry.
