
We often hear the term “plant” used in reference to certain types of machinery and, for some people who work in construction, industry, farming or logistics “plant” is part of the day to day. As it happens, there is a lot of plant out there. These heavy machines tend to work behind the scenes in the construction of warehouses, roads and infrastructures. They are used for logistics, loading and unloading container ships. They are found building bridges or moving pallets around warehouses. These are widely used machines that are frequently moved between jobs. This range of often large, powerful and heavy machines can be used for projects all over the country, but in order to move machines of this type from one place to another, specialised services have to be called in. These services are what is known as “heavy plant haulage” or simply “heavy haulage”.
What precisely do we mean by plant?
Plant is a broad term that encompasses a great diversity of machinery used for industrial activity. The following are just some of the machines classed as plant:
- Excavators, dumpers
- Road rollers
- Forklifts and telehandlers
- Scissor lifts, boom lifts and access machines
- Cranes
- Tractors and farm machinery
- Many others
These machines are at the heart of a great number of key industries the world over.
What is plant haulage?
Plant haulage or heavy plant haulage refers to the specialist services that collect, transport and deliver heavy machinery from one point to another. Plant haulage is part of the broader heavy haulage umbrella. Heavy haulage refers to the transport of all large, bulky or heavy loads. Heavy haulage may refer to the transport of large structures such as parts for wind farms, silos, manufacturing machinery and a great number of other things. Plant haulage refers specifically to the transport of the heavy machines listed earlier.
Heavy haulage companies operate fleets of highly specialised vehicles such as HIABs, equipped to carry heavy loads and abnormal loads. Emerson Cranes offers vehicles with up to a 100 tonne capacity within their plant haulage service. Plant haulage can be an extremely complex and safety-sensitive operation, frequently requiring partial machine dismantling. The loading, unloading and transport of loads of this type must be carried out by highly qualified professionals.
What is a HIAB?
Originally a brand name from Finnish company Hydrauliska Industri AB, the term HIAB has become synonymous with a lorry-mounted crane. These crane and lorry combinations draw their power from the lorry’s engine and have been manufactured in a vast range of sizes and specifications. HIABs are famous for their practicality when it comes to moving awkwardly-shaped loads, high-weight loads or large-size loads. Emerson Cranes offer industry-leading HIAB hire and can advise you on the most suitable solution for your heavy plant haulage project.
Which industries use these services?
There are a great number of sectors that benefit from heavy plant haulage. The construction sector is one of the biggest users of these services. The increasing demand for high build warehouses and the proliferation of clean air zones means that increasingly specialised machines have to be moved around the country due to the scarce supply.
Road builders and other civil engineering services regularly use heavy plant haulage to move cranes and other machinery to sites for bridge building or road maintenance. Heavy plant haulage services are also frequently required by the railway sector, for shipping or for the construction of power and other large structures. Another key user of these services is the farming sector.
Who should I speak to for heavy plant haulage?
Heavy plant haulage is highly specialised, requiring very specific equipment and highly trained personnel. There are a number of risks involved in the transport of plant, including risks to public safety and risks of damage to the machinery or to private or public property. As one of the country’s most trusted crane hire and heavy haulage companies, Emerson Cranes are highly experienced in the complexities of heavy plant haulage. If you would like any additional information on plant haulage, no matter how complex, large or time-sensitive your project is, get in touch today to work with our team of experts.
Call us on 020 8059 2577 to discuss your plant haulage needs in more detail, or visit our Contact Us Page here.