Dismantling Concrete Panels at BAE Systems Farnborough with a 220te Crane

We supplied labour for soft strip-out works at BAE Systems in Farnborough, and cranes to dismantle heavy concrete panels, up to 6.5te, from the building’s outside faces and courtyard. Our customer had been told they would need a 300te crane in one position for about a week of lifting.

After a site visit, our Appointed Person and CAD team planned the job instead with a 220te crane in three positions. Moving the crane added mobilisation time, but the lifting was done in four days with a smaller crane and less ballast, about half the time originally allowed. We had first proposed a compact city crane in the courtyard to keep costs down, but plate tests showed the ground could not take it.

A model of the panel dismantling, built from our lift plans. Drag to spin it round and tap a number to see what each part of the job involved. Press Play the lift to watch the 220te crane take panels down from each of its three positions around the building.

The client had the panels down in about half the time they had been told to expect, with a smaller crane. Heavy crane hire is expensive, so checking more than one option at planning stage is often where the savings come from.