HEAVY plant engineering firm, Independent Hydraulic Services (IHS) Scotland, has custom built a mobile workshop container and 4×4 vehicle in a bid to reduce downtime for clients and improve access to remote projects.
The Coatbridge-based company has put both the new container and vehicle to work on a gas pipeline installation project in Dumfries, for civil engineering and building contractors Roadbridge. The project is taking place across a 50-kilometre stretch between Beattock and Kirkcudbright.
Duncan Don, director at IHS Scotland, explained that the mobile container offers a “full workshop facility” capable of carrying out onsite repairs and hydraulic hose work.
The workshop contains a 6-wire hydraulic hose crimper and hose cutter, along with a full stock of hose fittings. Duncan explained, “We lined and sheeted the container (then) allowed for an electrical company to come in and they’ve installed all the electrics for the new additions. It’s all LEDs, three-phase 110/240, so we can run a three-phase supply out of the container, which is very handy if you have to do welding work or any kind of onsite repair work, providing your generator is suitable for it.
“It cuts down the long-term breakdowns, which has always been an underlying problem. For example, there is one machine on high reach (and) that machine has broken down. Everything else is standing because of that, so we’re trying to make it a lot quicker and a lot easier.”
IHS Scotland also fitted a Mitsubishi Shogun long wheelbase 4×4 with toolboxes and service cases, which Duncan described as a “fast response vehicle” that can reach areas that a standard van cannot. “From that jeep, if it’s a quick oil leak or a quick repair, we can fix it with the jeep onsite,” Duncan said.
“There’s still a lot of wind farm work on-going and some of the conditions that you’re having to climb up to get to specific machines, you really need four-wheel drive.
“For me, it’s getting to the job and getting the machine up and running as quickly as possible because our customers are standing and waiting on downtime. On downtime you’re not making production, you’re not making any money – so it’s as quick as we can get to it and we can get it up and running.”
Duncan added, “We’re grateful for the opportunity to support our customers and, moving forward, it’s good when we’re getting the repeat business.
“That’s the way I’m looking at it; our customers have come to expect a certain level of standard so we want to make sure we’re putting that right through the board and in order to do that I don’t mind investing in getting the right equipment to do the job.”
