Steel manufacturer cuts costs by 50% with bespoke solution

YORKSHIRE-BASED Shafton Steel Services has significantly reduced both costs and maintenance time after replacing a traditional conveyor system with a tailored lifting solution.

The firm, part of Billington Holdings, operates a robotic coping and drilling line that generates large quantities of steel scrap, which falls into a pit beneath the machine. Typically, conveyor systems are used to handle this type of waste. However, due to space constraints at the installation site, the company opted for an alternative solution based on a scissor lift table. A conventional conveyor system would have required too large a footprint to accommodate the machine in its intended location.

Seeking a system with a smaller footprint

"Compared to a conveyor system, the footprint is significantly smaller, while maintenance requirements and safety risks are reduced," said Ryan O’Connor, profile manager at Shafton Steel Services. "The lift table allows us to raise the entire unit by crane, ensuring full access to all components and safer cleaning of the pit. It is 20-25% easier to do maintenance work on the lift compared to a conveyor, which has a clear impact on our bottom line."

The company commissioned the design and implementation of the scissor lift table, which runs on a rail system inside the pit. Steel scrap is collected in a bin placed on the lift platform and transported to one end of the system, where it is raised to floor level and removed. The total investment came to just under £29,000, approximately half the cost of a comparable conveyor system, O’Connor stated.

The lift table was developed and supplied by Sax Lift. The project reflects a broader trend for the company, which is seeing increasing demand for bespoke products in the UK market.

"In many cases, customers come to us with a specific challenge, and we work together to find a solution. We typically start from a standard product and adapt it to meet the customer’s needs," explained Jeff Aackersberg Olsen, sales manager for the UK market at Sax Lift. "This approach is often both faster and more cost-effective than developing a fully bespoke solution from scratch."

Partnering to solve complex operational challenges

According to Sax Lift, around 25% of the company’s orders consist of customised solutions such as the rail system delivered to Shafton Steel Services. Although the solutions are often tailored to individual customers, they are based on a consistent technical foundation. Sax Lift’s products comply with the EN 1570-1 standard, and the company operates with a structured product portfolio that supports scalability and customisation. 

"Sax Lift was the only supplier we found that could deliver a complete solution suited to our setup. They understood our needs and delivered a solution that works in practice,” O’Connor added. "It is essential for us to have a solution that combines employee safety with significant savings, both in terms of the initial investment and long-term maintenance."

For more information: 

saxlift.com

Tel: 01 904809759