Sheffield-based heavy lifting specialist, Mechan, has become one of the first companies in the UK to have its achievements honoured by the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).

The rail depot equipment manufacturer has received a MAS Works Award to recognise the business and operational gains it has made in recent years.

Mechan was put forward for the award by MAS advisor, Peter Rooney, who was asked to nominate exemplar companies from his region that have demonstrated continuous improvement as a result of support from the organisation. [More]

Sheffield-based rail maintenance equipment specialist, Mechan, has installed the largest single system of lifting jacks in the UK at the Alstom Transport Traincare Centre in Longsight near Manchester.

The 44-jack system, which is the biggest ever produced by Mechan, will be used to service the new 11 car Alstom-built Pendolino trains being introduced on the West Coast Mainline.

Mechan saw off competition from Europe and China to secure the contract, which involved designing a completely new version of its Microlink jack control system, to accommodate such a large number of jacks. The firm also had to manufacture a taller version of its standard jack to enable the system to operate within the practical constraints of the depot. [More]

Rail depot maintenance specialist, Mechan, is bidding farewell to one of the most influential members of its management team, following a 49-year career in the transport industry.

Sales and technical director, Graham Cofield, is retiring after 23 years with the Sheffield manufacturer, during which time he played a key role in shaping the firm’s current direction.

When Graham joined Mechan in 1989 as a design engineer, the firm was trading almost completely in the material handling market. Having spent 26 years in mechanical handling roles at British Rail, he was asked to create a set of railway jacks that paved the way for the firm’s transformation into the UK’s leading depot maintenance equipment manufacturer. This area of business now accounts for almost 90% of turnover.

New engineering director, Martin Berry, will be taking over Graham’s duties. Martin has worked for Mechan as design manager for nine years and will be responsible for shaping the firm’s future product portfolio, using the latest 3D modelling and fatigue analysis software to build on its increasing popularity in the international rail industry. [More]

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. [More]

We are proud to have been shortlisted for this award, when you consider who we were up against!

http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/68079-aesseal-scoops-made-sheffield-award [More]

Sheffield-based handling equipment specialist, Mechan, is welcoming a familiar face back to its sales team, to extend the service its offers to customers both at home and overseas.

Sales engineer, Lee Pitts, rejoins Mechan after a seven year break to strengthen the firm’s capacity and accommodate increasing demand for its heavy lifting products.

Lee will be working alongside the existing sales team to promote Mechan’s standard and bespoke cranes, as well as its extensive range of rail depot handling equipment. He left the firm in 2005, after six years in internal sales, to join DMR Seals where he worked most recently as a technical sales manager. [More]