A tight grip on pipehandling

Pipehandling can be costly if it goes wrong. e-l-m Kragelund is ready to take its pipehandling solution to the global market place.

e-l-m Kragelund’s 2LS system. Image from e-l-m Kragelund.

An increasing focus on safety in the offshore and onshore industries, especially during pipe-handling activities from the manufacturing plant to quayside delivery and loading, has driven Danish firm e-l-m Kragelund’s most recent development—its 2LS forklift load stabilizer.

The 2LS, of which some 100 units have already sold, mostly in the Scandinavian market, is the result of a project started 10 years ago for a client in Norway who wanted to reduce the number of accidents involving pipes falling off forklifts.

Now, other regions are seeking improved safety standards and the company has its sights set on sales in America, southeast Asia and Scotland. “In recent years, other markets have increased their safety focus, and this, combined with the need for lower costs have made LS2’s features more sought after,” says Per Thomsen, area sales manager for e-l-m. “The Scandinavian countries have been first movers within safety. Now the rest of the world shows a growing interest.”

The 2LS range, with a capacity up to 35,000kg, has been designed so that it grips loads better, enabling safer and faster transport through narrower lanes in pipehandling areas and on rougher surfaces.

Each unit is comprised of two hydraulically operated arms that lower from vertical, at which position the forklift can be used for usual daily tasks, down to 102°, i.e. below horizontal. The arms are mounted on the forklifts’ forks (including telescopic forks) via a vertical section, and can move up or down to accommodate varying loads. The units can also be mounted on wheel loaders.

The unit can squeeze and fixate each single part of the load at the same time, avoiding the risk of lost goods due rubber fenders on the arms that enable direct contact to all pipes, casings and drill pipes, ensuring stability at all times.

As a result, forklift operators can drive faster because the pipes are fixed, Thomsen says. “The driveways for the forklift truck can be narrower, as the pipes in the handling situation can be lifted above the racks. If you have a rough surface, you normally have to drive very slowly. With our 2LS attachment, you can drive considerably faster.”

The most commonly used forklift in the industry is a 16-tonne capacity vehicle with a 1200mm load center. Smaller forklifts are used for more specialist pipe or tool handling. E-l-m offers a full line of 2LS additions, from 2.5-ton through 35-ton. The biggest extension holds pipes that have up to 50cm- diameters.

In 2015, e-l-m will be targeting America, as well as Southeast Asia and Scotland. The US, particularly, will be a key focus due to the massive effort around developing the country’s shale resources, Thomsen says.

e-l-m, which started life as a small hydraulics business about 40 years ago, has offices in Denmark, with sales representatives in Denmark, Sweden and the US. For now, the company employs about 100 workers.