Allelys has successfully executed a complex transport and lifting operation for the installation of a 146-tonne Yankee drying cylinder at Shotton Mill in Flintshire.
The operation, fully engineered and project managed by Allelys, involved receiving the cargo at Ellesmere Port, transporting it to the mill, and installing it through the roof of an existing building. The 8.9m-long, 4.62m-wide, and 5.72m-high dryer was lifted off the vessel at Ellesmere Port using the LG1550 crane and transferred onto a 12-axle flat top trailer.
The team then used a 450-tonne hydraulic gantry system to tranship the dryer onto a 16-axle girder frame trailer for onward transport. Due to the load size, part of the M56 motorway was closed to allow the convoy to travel contraflow. Allelys coordinated extensive preparations, including the removal of street furniture, tree trimming, and the lifting of telecom and power lines to clear the route.
Upon arrival at Shotton Mill, the dryer was temporarily stored using the same gantry system before being lifted through the roof by Allelys’ AK912 mobile crane. Configured with an 83m boom and a 46m radius, it was the only crane in their fleet capable of executing the precise lift.
“Witnessing the 146te Yankee dryer being lifted into place with such precision was truly breathtaking,” said Omer Baykir, Tissue Plant and Investment Manager at Shotton Mill. “This operation was a testament to incredible engineering and collaboration. Our sincere thanks go to Allelys and Valmet AB for their exceptional expertise.”
