Wire rope and swaged fittings for escape platforms

Lifting Solutions is celebrating its involvement in the successful completion of one of Europe's most impressive landmarks, the new Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, which has now been completed.

Lifting Solutions is celebrating its involvement in the successful completion of one of Europe's most impressive landmarks, the new Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, which has now been completed.

Lifting Solutions supplied Qualter Hall and Co Limited on its contract of works with Mowlem plc at Portsmouth Harbour to fit out the emergency escape platforms at the spectacular Spinnaker Tower - the centrepiece of the Millennium Project for the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour.

The stainless steel wire ropes and swaged fittings are used on a back-up safety device on the platforms to be used in the event of emergency escape from the external lift.

Jonathan Moorhouse, managing director for Lifting Solutions, says: "This was quite a small job for us but naturally it is the sort of high-profile project we are very pleased to be associated with, and we are delighted to have contributed in our small way.

"We have now been involved in three Olympic projects and are looking forward to the chance of working on London 2012.

"We have also supplied services to the Royal Family and Kew Gardens among others, so the Spinnaker Tower project sits nicely alongside those names".

The tower is some 170 metres high - which is two-and-a-half times the size of Nelson's Column in London.

Built adjacent to Gunwharf Quays, near Portsmouth Harbour Station, the Spinnaker Tower offers panoramic views across the harbour for an expected 450,000 visitors a year.

From the top visitors can see as far as the Isle of Wight, the Hampshire and West Sussex coastlines, as well as the local landmarks like The Naval Base, HMS Warrior, Southsea Common, Old Portsmouth and the rest of the city sprawling out below.

The upsurge in demand for swaged products is primarily design-led, where a new marina, corporate head office, cafe bar, leisure attraction or other facility requires a striking design element.

The resurgent attraction of metals from both an interior and exterior design point of view and the versatile functionality and flexibility of steel wire rope are making swaged products a natural choice on many new developments around the globe.

Typical examples of where swaged products are used would be on balustrades, stairwells, connecting walkways and as architectural cable supports for covered public areas - such as covered areas around retail and leisure parks.

Jonathan Moorhouse adds: "As this contract shows, there are important health and safety applications for stainless steel wire swaged products, as well as the perhaps more obvious architectural design applications".

For further information visit Lifting Solutions' website.

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