Renowned rail depot equipment specialist Mechan is preparing to raise its global profile further by taking its largest stand to date at this year’s InnoTrans trade fair in Germany.
Following its busiest exhibition ever in 2016, the Sheffield-based manufacturer has committed to a bigger and more prominent space in the UK Pavilion in September.
A fully working version of Mechan’s flagship lifting jacks will form the centrepiece of its eye-catching display on stand 206F in hall 2.2. Its sales and engineering team will be on hand to update visitors on the progress the firm has made in the last two years and provide information on its wide range of lifting and handling products, which include bogie drops, traversers and much more.
Mechan’s engineering manager, Martin Berry, will be heading up its InnoTrans team. He said: “It has been an eventful two years for us since InnoTrans 2016, and we are looking forward to meeting colleagues old and new in Berlin to showcase our development. We have much to talk about, not only our buy-out by France’s CIM Group, but also the launch of our new lightweight jacks, designed specifically for the tram and light rail markets.”
These cost-effective lifting jacks are smaller and more agile than their heavy rail counterparts. They have a different base arrangement and built-in assembly for ease of movement around a depot, along with a lower lifting height to cater for the proximity of car and rail, but they retain all of the features that make Mechan products so great.
That includes its jack control system, which allows one user to operate synchronised sets, eliminating decoupling. It is the most flexible and technically advanced in its field, using a portable panel to give the operator freedom to move to the best location to monitor the lift more effectively. Constant feedback is provided as jacks are raised or lowered, making it easier to diagnose faults, as vital data about maintenance and servicing is displayed.
Using a combined power and data cable, Mechan has also been able to minimise installation costs, whilst inverter technology produces power savings during operation, compared to similar products. The controller caters for trains with numerous cars and large numbers of jacks can be operated together. The longest system produced to date is a 44-jack chain, which is used to service 11-car Pendolinos on the UK’s West Coast Main Line.
Martin added: “We have listened to our light rail customers and developed a version of our popular jacks that is tailored entirely to their needs, making us even more competitive in this specialised market. Each order is bespoke and we are happy to discuss specific depot requirements during our time at InnoTrans. Visitors can make an appointment, or simply call at our stand.”
To find out more about Mechan’s new light weight jacks or its portfolio of rail depot equipment, drop by stand 206F in the UK Pavilion. Alternatively, telephone (0114) 257 0563, visit www.mechan.co.uk or follow the company on Twitter, @mechanuk
